As a boy, one of my favorite songs said, “Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God’s unchanging hand!”
Thankfully, God is unchanging!  He is “the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning” (James 1:17).  He even said, “I, Jehovah, change not” (Malachi 3:6).
But in what way is God unchanging?  After creating man, he liked what he saw (Genesis 1:31), but later “it repented Jehovah that he had made man” (Genesis 6:6).  He actually changed the way He felt about man.  And what about the times that He threatened to destroy Israel (Exodus 32) or Nineveh (Jonah 3) but, then, changed His mind and spared them?
In what way is God unchanging?  Simply put:  “God blesses those who obey Him and punishes those who disobey” (cf. Deuteronomy 28:1-5, 15-29; Jeremiah 18:7-10; Mark 16:16).  From this principle He does not waver.
In the Bible, when man changed and failed to do what God said, God ceased to bless and began to punish.  At the same time, when man changed and repented of his disobedience, God ceased to punish and granted His favor.  From this principle He does not waver.
That’s something we need to keep in mind when it comes to:
our being baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
our trying to be as much like Jesus as possible (1 Peter 2:21).
our challenging the world with our morals (Romans 12:1,2).
our involvement in the lives of people (1 John 3:17,18).
our efforts to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).
In every facet of Christian living, the charge is clear:  “Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God’s unchanging hand.”
 
 
 

Psalm 8: How Excellent Is Thy Name In All The Earth “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”
 
 

The psalms teach us that there are many blessings available for those who learn and think about the majesty of God.  Some of the most powerful and popular songs we sing in worship are along these lines:
How Great Thou Art
Lord, I Believe
Walking Alone at Eve
There Is a God
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.”  If our generation could learn this one lesson, it would lead to the salvation of countless souls.
The first and last sentences in the Psalm are identical.  This one point will serve as a means of reminding us that even though there are other things to be learned here—this is the main thing:
Jehovah Is Excellent
The Psalm has five points.  Let us now study them.
“O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy
 and the avenger” (vv. 1,2)

The Psalm begins with this statement of Jehovah’s majesty on earth.  Two words for “Lord” are in verse 1.  The first, which is spelled with all capitals in the King James and New King James Versions, comes from the word for “Jehovah.”  The second is from the word “Adonai.”  The first one refers to God as the One Who makes and keeps covenants.  In Exodus 6:3,4, God speaks of this as His “name.”  The second one is a more common word, used to refer to one who is a master or ruler.
The word “excellent” means “majestic.”  It points us to an examination of the things that Jehovah has done, for those things lead us to realize that there is no human way to fully speak of His magnificence.  The poet said,
“How then can I declare Him?
Where are works with which my
glowing tongue may speak his name?
Silent I bow, and humbly I adore.”
From the earth to the heavens, there is not a place where His majesty cannot be found (Job 9:8,9).
“Babes” are one of His strengths (strongholds).  The mere existence of the little children points to Him.  Their capacities for accomplishments demonstrates that they are made in His image.  Their simple, trusting faith reminds us as adults of the foundation we also need in order to praise Him.
“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?”
 (vv. 3,4).
Now we are told that if we think properly of the heavens, we will ask, “Why man?”
Surely all people have “considered” the universe!  When we look up, we are looking at His heavens (Psalm 89:11; Job 36:29; 38:33; Isaiah 40:26).  What skill their Maker has!  It is simply impossible for this to be the result of chance, an accident, or a “big bang”!
He says, “When I think of all of this, a thought comes to me:  WHAT IS MAN...?”  We, in our frailty, mortality, and sinfulness—why would Jehovah be mindful of us?  How could He be so mindful of us that He would visit us (see Hebrews 2:4-18)?
How humbling this kind of meditating is!  How sad that so many people have looked so hard and long at so much of the universe and MISSED THE WHOLE POINT!
“For You have made him a little lower
than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor” (v. 5).
Here, we are told that mankind is really the creation.  With regard to the visible universe (space, planets, stars, earth, plants, minerals, animals), only human beings are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26,27).  With regard to other spiritual beings, we are only a little lower than the angels!  We are the ones who have been offered the opportunity of living in heaven forever!  We are the ones for whom Jesus died!  And we are the ones who, in high numbers, forfeit our “glory and honor” by choosing sin over righteousness.
“You have made him to have dominion over
 the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas” 
(vv. 6-8).
This section is a lesson about that which is in subjection to man.
We were given dominion over this physical creation, with many rights opportunities regarding its use.  What is man?  David is answering, “Man is the crown of the creation.  Man is eternally valuable.  Man has the right to approach God.”  
Also, in these verses, David gives his approval of the Genesis record.  In Genesis 1, the six days of creation are briefly described, including the fact that Adam and Eve were to be over (have dominion) the creation.  That fact still has not changed, except that many things are much more difficult due to sin and its consequences (see Genesis 3,4).  Our dominion includes the use, research, and discovery of this world and its resources.  He even refers to the “paths of the seas,” which are now in use by ships around the world (having been discovered by Matthew Fountaine Maury over a century ago after studying the Psalms).
“O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!”
(v. 9).
Finally, we are brought back to the first sentence of Psalm 8, with the lesson that the proper introduction is the proper conclusion, too.
The meditations of verses  1-8 make the exclamation of verse 1 much more meaningful, so he repeats it here at the end.  Just as the chorus of a song is supported by the stanzas, so verses 1 and 9 of this psalm are supported by the moving thoughts in between.
How plainly He has shown Himself!  Only the fool says that there is no God.  Through Christ, we can express our thanksgiving and love to Jehovah for being mindful of us in such an excellent way.
    — Skip Andrews