Awoke this morning burdened. Burdened about world affairs. Wondering how such big and consequential things can happen in such a relatively short period of time. Wondering how perceived stability can give way so suddenly to unpredictable uncertainty. Wondering what’s going on and what’s gonna happen.

Then I read Psalm 8, and the wondering gives way to wonder.

After chewing on it briefly, I went back into my journal to see what I’d written over the years about such a heart-lifting song. Surprised that it wasn’t much. Only time was back in 2009 — 17 years ago! Oh, but how it “hit the spot”, met the need, as it further lifted my heart by reminding me to lift my eyes.

Thanx Lord. I needed that!

Here are those thoughts . . .

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I’m reading Psalm 8 this morning and it occurs to me that sometimes we just need to stop and look up . . . look way up! Yeah, there’s a lot to think about with the coming day . . . places to go . . . people to see . . . stuff to do . . . matters to worry about (I’m pretty good at worrying . . . ). But looking up has a way of putting things into perspective . . .

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
       The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
       And the son of man that You visit him?

(Psalm 8:3-4 NKJV)

Great observations result in great questions . . . and sometimes, pretty neat answers!

I’m thinking about the heavens as being the work of the fingers of God.

Now when I think of somebody working with their hands I think of creativity and construction. But when I think of somebody working with their fingers it takes it to a “next level.” I think of intricate work . . . delicate work . . . detailed work. I think of fine craftsmanship, and I think of the object that is being worked on or created as being much, much smaller than the one who is working on it.

Actually, the image of a watchmaker comes to mind. Hunched over the open watch back, with a magnifying glass stuck in one eye and fine tools of the trade being worked with his fingers, the watchmaker puts in place the many fine gears and springs and mechanics of a precision time tool and then sets it in motion.

God is the watchmaker . . . the heavens are the watch . . . and I am a speck of dust beneath the gears . . . Is it any wonder that the Psalmist bookends this Psalm with the declaration, “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent (or majestic) is Your name in all the earth (just one gear in the watch)” (8:1,9)?

Look up . . . way up . . . and see if you don’t find a “wow!” welling up inside you and an “amen!” coming to your lips as the Psalmist praises the Creator and proclaims, “You have set Your glory above the heavens!” And then the question . . . the worship evoking question . . . “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man, that You visit him?” And David only knew the half of it.

David would marvel that God made us just slightly lower than heavenly beings . . . in the image of the triune God. David’s heart is lifted as He considers that the One who made the moon and stars . . . that the Creator of the galaxies . . . determined to crown people with glory and honor and give them such a privileged place in His creation. But David had no idea the depths of God’s love for people and the degree to which He would condescend to “visit them.”

Those same fingers which masterfully created the heavens would also work with wood on earth . . . they became carpenter fingers . . . the Creator invaded the creation. Those hands which fashioned the galaxies would eventually be stretched out on a Roman cross and pierced through with rusty spikes . . . salvation not being something that God could work from afar, but something needing the hands of the Master intricately involved in securing man’s redemption. “What is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You visit Him?”

Oh, how looking up puts things into perspective. How it brings to mind the might of God . . . how it floods the heart with the love of God . . . how it causes the knee to bend with worship for God . . . “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth.”

Father, as 2009 begins at the same torrid pace with which 2008 finished, I do need to take time to look up . . . and look around . . . and marvel at the work of Your fingers. I need to remember that you are mindful of man . . . that you are mindful of this man in this chair. Beyond the circumstance, I need to know from time to time that I am your “twice secured” precious possession . . . You created me . . . and You redeemed me. I am the work of Your hands . . . I am the prize of Calvary’s cross. I am made in the image of God . . . and I’m being conformed to the image of Christ.

And so, I look up . . . way up . . . and say, “Wow!” . . . and declare, “My Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth. Be glorified my God. Amen!”