Psalm 8:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Thus, having discussed one aspect, he shifts to another, to reveal God's incredible mercy, for He allowed the diminished man—granted this honour of glory—to retain his power. If there was any alteration, it was purely for His own providential care. Initially, man had dominion over wild animals; however, post-transgression, this authority has been somewhat curtailed. While man retains control over them through various means, he does so with trepidation. God neither completely revoked man's power nor left it entirely intact; rather, He retained for him those creatures suitable for food and labor while withholding dominance over the more ferocious beasts. This serves as a poignant reminder to humanity of the original sin of Adam. The fact that these creatures remain only partially under our control brings about a significant benefit. What use do we have for a tamed lion or a leopard under our sway? Such dominion would only foster arrogance and vanity. Therefore, God has excluded these from our rule, yet He has granted us dominion over beneficial animals—such as the ox for tilling the ground, the sheep for clothing our bodies, and pack animals for transporting goods, alongside the birds and fish that enrich our tables.

Just as a father may restrict a son’s inheritance without taking away all possessions, so too does God exercise this wisdom. When a father reduces his son’s share, he typically keeps the lesser portion, yet God, in His care, retains much while only limiting a small part for man's benefit. This serves to prevent man from receiving everything without effort. To refine the human spirit, to instill humility, and to guard against idleness, God has mingled the fulfillment of essential needs with some struggle. Man is allowed to meet his basic needs without excessive toil, while pleasures require diligence, promoting a balance that guards against extravagance.

If one were to inquire about the purpose of wild animals, we might respond that they instill humility, encourage activity, and remind us of our inherent frailty when faced with a fearsome creature. Furthermore, many medicinal remedies for bodily ailments come from these animals. Why wild animals exist leads to a broader question: why do we have phlegm and bile? Their excessive presence can be more troublesome than wild beasts, wreaking havoc upon the body. Likewise, we have anger and lust that, far more ferocious than any animal, torment those who fail to control them. It’s not just irritability and rage; even our eyes can impose suffering and lead us astray. Thus, the question isn't why these exist, but rather, we should express gratitude to the Lord for all creation. Just as the rod is a corrective tool for a child, so too do beasts serve a purpose for the adult. Given the dangers that exist, if even now individuals succumb to pride, consider the extent of chaos that would ensue without constraints. Hence, our bodies are designed as frail and passionate, subject to numerous calamities, and the earth does not yield its bounty effortlessly. Our entire life is intertwined with toil, for true life serves as an educational experience, and rest paired with idleness can lead to ruin. Thus, God has made labor a requisite, attaching it to life to restrain the soul's arrogance as if with bonds.

Observe how the creatures that dwell in the ocean depths and soar in the skies have been placed under human authority through ingenuity. However, why did the prophet not catalog all visible things, including plants, seeds, and trees? He expressed the entirety in parts, leaving it to the curious to explore and discern for themselves.

While the interpretation presented here holds true within its context, it is important to recognize that words may carry varying meanings in other instances. A key principle to remember in all allegorical interpretations is that what is conveyed through likenesses should be assessed based on the context at hand, as taught by the Lord and the Apostles.

Just as a general authority over these creatures has been bestowed upon all humanity, so too the Word of God, having assumed our nature, made it His dwelling place, referred to it as His own flesh, and achieved an ineffable unity, stands "above all rule, power, authority, and every name named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And He will bring all things under His authority" (Eph. 1:21-22), encompassing not just the sheep and oxen but the entirety of creation, both seen and unseen, as the Apostle confirms, proclaiming: "Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, was crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death" (Heb. 2:9). Furthermore, it is stated, "You have placed all things under His authority" (Heb. 2:8). In the Corinthian letters, it is noted, "But when it says that all things are subject to Him, it is evident that the one who subjects all things to Him is excepted" (1 Cor. 15:27). The uncreated nature is alone exempt from this dominion, as it exists in freedom. However, all created beings, whether visible or invisible, derive their existence from the uncreated and are subject to Christ, both in His divinity and humanity. This is the dignity that human nature has attained from the Almighty. Thus, the Psalmist emphasizes this point at the close of the psalm by reiterating the opening words: "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth."

When referring to cattle, the psalmist undoubtedly meant all terrestrial animals, both domestic and wild, as they were all given by the Creator to serve humanity, who would have held dominion over them to this day had he preserved his original dignity of spirit. As for the birds, the psalmist speaks of them in terms of the sky, using "sky" in a non-physical manner rather than "air," which is not uncommon in our language, as we perceive the air as the vaulted heavens above us. When the psalmist turns his gaze to the vast array of fishes, he seeks to encompass this immense variety succinctly, referring to "the transitory paths of the sea" and suggesting different kinds of fish with the masculine form instead of the neuter.

This psalm can be understood in relation to the average human, but it can also be interpreted in light of the humanity of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul articulates in his epistle to the Hebrews. The humanity that the Word of God took upon Himself is represented when it is said, "This is My beloved Son" (Matthew 3:17). The psalmist designates Jesus Christ as the Son of Man to counter the notion that Christ brought His flesh down from above. Likewise, throughout the Gospels, the Lord refers to Himself as the Son of Man, clarifying that He prepared a temple, a body formed from the pure blood of the Virgin Mary. The one born of a woman is rightly called the Son of Man, as a wife is indeed a woman. Yet He visited him, as the psalmist expresses, "I saw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand" (Ps. 15:8). The phrase "Thou hast humbled Him for a little while below the angels" indicates that Jesus Christ experienced thirst and hunger, enduring real bodily suffering. "Crowned Him," which signifies adorned Him, relates to glory—His divine nature—and "honor," referring to His superiority over the angels, who frequently ministered to Him, or also "honor," that describes the title believers give to Jesus Christ as God and the reverence they show Him. "Subdued all things" refers to the new Adam, who remained intact in the image and likeness of God. The "sheep" represent the Gentiles who believed in Christ, whom He gathered into His fold from their wandering on the mountains and hills. The "oxen" symbolize the Jews who carried the heavy burden of the Law of Moses. The "livestock of the fields" refers to those who, lacking both the Law of Moses and the grace of the Gospel, worship idols and wander through the valleys of this transient life, failing to rise to the heights of contemplation. The "birds of the sky" signify angels, while the "fish of the sea" represent demons, which, like fish, leap over the tumultuous waves of life and consume the bitterness of our sinful actions. Ultimately, all will submit to Jesus Christ, as He will cause every knee, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, to bow to Him. Furthermore, it may be worth considering an alternative interpretation of the phrases "diminished us" and so forth. This can be understood to mean He was humbled not before the angels but before the glory of God the Father. Thus, the passage can be understood as: You, O God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to His divine nature, have "humbled Him for a little while" before Your majesty due to His human nature. The ensuing words should then convey that above the angels, "He crowned Him with glory and honor," surpassing any angel, for none of the angels have received both the title of God and the ministry that Christ has.