Voice: Emily
Today is Tuesday, 24th of March. In this Season of Lent, let us take a moment to be still in His presence.
The Opening Sentence:
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. MARK 8:34
Psalm 8
We praise the Lord in the words of Psalm 8:
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.
Who Are We?
Psalm 8 is a short, beautiful poem of just 70 Hebrew words. Every verse is addressed directly to God. It is worship in pure form, arising from a deep reflection on creation and the human place within it.
In the 3rd century, the monastic Anthony the Great spoke of nature as a book. He would simply look up and behold creation—a “book” always open before him, always available whenever he desired to read the words of God.
The Psalmist did just that—he looked up and found reasons to praise. What did he see?
First, he saw the majesty of God.
Even without modern science, the Psalmist perceived the greatness of the Creator through the grandeur of the heavens. How much more we can marvel today, with our knowledge of galaxies, atoms, and DNA! And yet, even the most brilliant minds confess how little we still understand. One Christian scientist put it well: “The more we know, the more we know what we don’t know.” And what we do know is already breathtaking.
Second, he pondered the mystery of mankind.
In light of such a vast and intricate universe, the Psalmist asked:
“What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (v.4)
We ask the same today—though with a modern twist:
Why is the universe so fine-tuned for human life? Who are we to deserve this?
Scientists have long noted that the universe has just the right conditions for life to exist—so precise that even small changes would render life impossible. One physicist remarked: “The properties of the universe have just the right characteristics to make life possible… there is a Mind behind the laws of nature and the existence of nature itself. And this aligns with everything we know.”
The Psalmist knew none of this, yet he saw that God had crowned humankind with glory and honour. He saw that we were given a royal role—to care for and rule over the rest of creation. That was our God-given dignity. Later Scripture reveals an even greater truth: we are seated with Christ, to reign with Him forever.
So, who are we that God should care? That He should send His only Son to die for us?
You may not feel you are worthy of such attention—let alone God’s love or a cosmic purpose. But Psalm 8 invites you to see differently. To let God’s creation and God’s Word define your worth. And above all, to let the gift of His Son affirm your place in His majestic plan.
🌿 Thought for Lent
Take some time today to reflect on His creation. Perhaps in the evening, look up at the night sky. Let your heart be lifted in praise to the Lord, and be grateful—for all that you see has been set in place that we may exist.
We end with this ancient Celtic prayer:
Creator of the cosmos,
of eternity and time:
Be with us in this time
Saviour of the world,
healer of the nations:
Be with us in this place
Breath of all that lives,
of people near and far
Stir within our lives
Maker-Spirit-Son
God of here and now:
Be present in our worship,
that we may find new ways
to be present in your world.
Be blessed by this amazing song, So will I
God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light
And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapour of Your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made
Every burning star
A signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises so will I
God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice
And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You so will I
If the stars were made to worship so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high so will I
If the wind goes where You send it so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times
God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die
And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender so will I
I can see Your heart
Eight billion different ways
Every precious one
A child You died to save
If You gave Your life to love them so will I
Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire
You’re the One who never leaves the one behind
‘So Will I (100 Billion X)’ from the album ‘There Is More’ recorded live in Sydney, Australia.
Link to today’s Morning Office
About This Daily Devotion
This weekday devotion is drawn from the Morning Office and is part of a project initiated by Revd Canon Terry Wong, with contributions from clergy and members across various parishes. Each entry includes selected readings from the appointed Psalm and another Scripture passage, accompanied by a reflection and prayer. An audio option is also available, often ending with a hymn or song. We encourage you to both read and listen.
Our aim is to help Anglicans engage more deeply with our rich liturgical tradition, while meeting the devotional needs of today’s believers. This project began on Ash Wednesday 2025 and is offered on weekdays only.
For feedback, please write to us at terrywong@anglican.org.sg
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