Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 8:5

"For thou hast made him but little lower than God, And crownest him with glory and honor." — Psalms 8:5 (ASV)

The Hebrew poet dwells on neither of these aspects, but at once passes on to the essential greatness of man and his superiority in creation, by reason of his moral sense and his spiritual likeness to God. Another English poet sings to the stars:—

“’Tis to be forgiven
That, in our aspirations to be great,
Our destinies o’erleap their mortal state,
And claim a kinship with you.”

—BYRON: Childe Harold.

But the psalmist looks beyond the bright worlds to a higher kinship with God Himself.

For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels.—Literally, you make him lack but a little from God: that is, you have made him little less than Divine. We should read, however, instead of “for you,” “ and you have made,” etc. The Authorized Version follows the Septuagint in a translation suggested doubtless by the desire to tone down an expression about the Deity that seemed too bold.

That version was adopted in his quotation by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 2:6–7). (See Note in New Testament Commentary.) Undoubtedly the word Elohim, being used to express a class of supernatural beings, includes angels as well as the Divine being (1 Samuel 28:13; Zechariah 12:8). But here there is nothing in the context to suggest limitation to one part of that class.

Crowned.—Or, compassed.