Psalms of Christmas
For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:5
Psalm 8 begins by praising the glory of God, which is seen in His miraculous creation of the world. The psalm goes on to ask, in light of this miraculous world: “What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:4). When standing before the magnificence of God’s creation – peering out over the Grand Canyon or looking out at the immensity of the ocean – we too are humbled, wondering what this powerful God would have to do with us puny humans.
Our question is answered, though, in the Christmas story. Though we are nothing compared to God – or even to His created world – Christ took on our humiliation. What could be a greater humiliation than God becoming a human? Furthermore, Christ suffered taunts, insults, physical pain, and even death in our place. But Christ is also exalted by descending into hell to proclaim His victory, rising from the dead, and ascending into heaven. Now, He sits at the right hand of God, in the position of power, and will come to judge the world.
When we look at the beauties and wonders of the natural world, we have that natural knowledge of the power of God. We also recognize that God created Adam and Eve perfect. After the fall into sin, though, we live in a sinful state, one where God should not even recognize our existence. But the beauty of the gospel message is that through Christ’s humility and sacrifice, we too are exalted by being declared righteous in God’s sight and heirs of eternal life.
True Son of the Father, He comes from the skies;
To be born of a virgin He does not despise.
To Bethlehem hasten with joyful accord;
Oh, come, let us adore Him, Oh comes let us adore Him,
Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
The Lutheran Hymnal 102:2