A Little Lower than the Angels
“You made him a little lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
The east-end reredos of St Michael and All Angels, Harrow Weald: a mid-century evangelical Anglican Church in the UK. We see here depicted the people of God, “a little lower than the angels,” but the Cross, centered and elevated, pointing to Christ as the nexus of unity between heaven and earth, and — as perfect Man, as well as perfect God — the ultimate climax and fulfillment of that human destiny.
Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.
— Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 9:15)
Ninteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Texts for This Week
Prayer
Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in continual godliness, that through your protection it may be free from all adversities, and devoutly serve you in good works, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Scriptures
How Majestic is your name …
Contemporary composer Dan Forrest interprets Psalm 8 with rich and enigmatic tone panting, relishing the interplay of piano, violin and soprano voices to echo that great cosmic meditation the psalm involves, “When I consider the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars you have set in their courses!” The Hebrew of the opening invocation of the Psalm, Adonai, adonenu (O Lord, our Lord) repeats throughout, recentering the meditation on the person of the God who is praised throughout. It is an invitation to wonder as much as a rich meditation on the text of the psalm!
In a discursive mode, meanwhile, the Bible Project guys have a great commentary on Psalm 8 that beautifully links the theme of God’s glory and greatness over and above the cosmos with the rich themes of Biblical theology culminating in Jesus Christ as Messiah and Lord.
