Hebrews 2:7 Commentary and Bible Study

The Psalm continues and describes the highly significant and privileged position given to mankind in God’s order. David expresses surprise and wonder that, in contrast to the obscurity of his position in the physical universe, God has placed man only a little lower than the angels in terms of his attributes and significance in creation. This is man’s present position. He has gifts which set him apart from the animals and make him only a little lower in status than the angels. He has the gifts of language, rational thought, a moral nature, the ability to worship and communicate and fellowship with God. No animal has ever been able to do these things. This places him only a little below the level of angels. At present the angels are certainly higher than man since they do always behold the face of God the Father in heaven. On earth we are a little lower than the angels, but if we are saved then in heaven we will occupy a place nearer to God even than the angels (Revelation 5:11; 7:11). But the prophecy of Psalm 8 does not stop there. It then goes on to speak of mankind’s future destiny, yet in a way that views the future as already accomplished. Man has been crowned with glory and honour, according to Psalm 8. He will be singled out from among all the creatures that God has made and exalted to a position far above his present earthly status. It is man’s destiny in Christ to be glorified, but on earth he is still mortal, limited, as well as corrupted by sin. This prophecy reveals the high place given by God to mankind in his plan, but that plan was not fully unfolded at the time of David’s prophecy.Referring to the creation mandate of Genesis 1:26, 28, he says that man has been set over all the works of God’s hands. The original creation mandate gave man dominion over all the earth because that was then the realm of his existence, but it is evident that Psalm 8 goes beyond this, for Scripture interprets Scripture and the fulfilment which Hebrews is about to speak of includes things in heaven as well as things on earth. As a being made in the image of God, man was to act as a god to all the other creatures of the earth and to rule over them. He was to subdue the earth by understanding the world around him and mastering every part of it.