Out of the mouth of babes

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF BABES
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Psalm8:2 2Throughthe praiseof childrenand infants
you have establisheda strongholdagainstyour
enemies, to silencethe foe and the avenger.
New Living Translation
You have taught childrenand infants to tell of your
strength, silencingyour enemies and all who oppose
you.
English StandardVersion
Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have
establishedstrength because of your foes, to still the
enemy and the avenger.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Biblical Illustrator
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength.

Psalm8:2
The strength of feeble instrumentalities
A. Maclaren, D. D.
The sudden drop from the glories of the heavens to the babble and prattle of
infancy and childhood is most impressive, and gives extraordinary force to the
paradox that the latter's witness is more powerful to silence gainsayersthan
that of the former. This conviction is expressedin a noble metaphor, which is
blurred by the rendering "strength." The word here rather means "a
strength," in the old use of the term — that is, a stronghold or fortress;and
the image, somewhatmore daring than cold westerntaste finds permissible, is
that out of such frail material as children's speech, God builds a towerof
strength, which, like some border castle, will bridle and still the restless
enemy. There seems no sufficient reasonfor taking "children and sucklings"
in any but its natural meaning, howeverthe reference to lowly believers may
accordwith the spirit of the Psalm. The children's voices are takenas a type
of feeble instruments, which are yet strong enough to silence the enemy.
Childhood, "with no language but a cry," is, if rightly regardedin its source,
its budding possibilities, its dependence, its growth, a more potent witness to a
more wondrous name than are all the stars. In like manner, man is man's
clearestrevelationof God. The more lowly he is, the more lofty his testimony.
What are all His servants'words but the babbling of children who "do not
know half the deep things they speak"?God's strongestfortress is built of
weakeststones If the two parts of the Psalmare to be kept together, the theme
of the compendious first portion must be the same as that of the second,
namely, the glory of God as revealedby nature and man, but most chiefly by
the latter, notwithstanding and even by his comparative feebleness.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
God glorified by children's mouths
This Psalmsings of the grandeur of God as seenin creation. Our subject is
His powerdisplayed in human weakness.

I. THERE IS A CONFLICT. Our text speaks ofenemies. We know who they
are — the seedof the serpent. We know how it began, and it goes on, on the
enemy's part, in the same fashion. God uses weapons, mainly, of a moral and
spiritual sort. He has used, and He canand will, when needful, use others.
II. IN THIS CONFLICT THE WEAPONS ARE VERY SINGULAR. "Out of
the mouth of babes," etc. Bring hither that sweetbabe. See that little mouth
— it challenges a kiss:and note with joy that God may use that little mouth as
His conquering weaponagainstthe devil. I have seenmany an ancient cannon
upon which were moulded in bronze the words, "The lastargument of kings."
Yes, but the gracious arguments of the King of kings are sent home by a
human mouth, and that of a little child. How Satanmust be angeredthat his
craft is not met by craft. Already the testimony of feeble men has been used as
the greatpowerof God. How are these weapons used? These strangelysoft,
yet sharp, feeble, yet mighty weapons — how are they used?
1. They smite by prayer. Children pray and they are heard.
2. By praise, which louvers the pride of His adversaries, while they cry
"Hosannah!" and sing the praise of Jesus'name.
3. And by testimony. We never know what one child's mouth can do. Christ is
the Word, but these mouths supply the voices by which it is sounded forth.
The Hebrew reads, "hastThou founded strength," as if the very foundation of
the Church's strength lay in the mouths that God moves to speak.
III. THE WARRIORS IN THIS WARFARE ARE VERY SPECIAL. "Babes
and sucklings" (Matthew 11:25;1 Corinthians 1:1). Such are those who
proclaim Christ in the world. Our Lord would get little honour from our race
if all children's voices were hushed, and all childlike spirits with them. Scribes
and Pharisees nevercry "Hosannah!" they are so busy binding on their
phylacteries, washing their hands, and devouring widows'houses. The first to
cry "Hosannah!" are the children, and the next are those who are like them.
Some say, "To shout and sing is children's work";so it is, and it is ours
because we are children too. Now, note

IV. That THE QUALIFICATION OF THESE WARRIORS LIES IN THEIR
WEAK SIDE. If it lay on the strong side, we should react, "Outof the mouth
of men of middle age, in the prime of life; of wise old men, who have had long
experience, Godordaineth strength." But no, it is "Out of the mouths of
babes," etc. Thus the Lord puts the adversaryto a perpetual reproach. He
puts a child againstHis giant foe, and overcomes him. Our powerto serve
God lies on our weak side. He uses not our greatness,but our littleness. You
know what the learned men sayis the weak part of some of us — they put it
something like this: "We regret the preacher's total inability to keepabreast
of the times; his incapacityfor modern thought; and his want of affectionfor
the higher culture." That is our weakness. Yes, and our strength, and
therefore we glory in it. "I determined not to know anything among you save
Jesus Christ and Him crucified." If all God's servants will come to this, they
will do far more goodthan by the so-called"culture," which is nothing but the
science ofgrowing more weeds than usual I have desiredto be a little child
again, and wishedthat I had never heard of the existence of a quibbler. We
hear now-a-days much of "greatthinkers"; we prefer to be greatbelievers.
When the Church gets back to her simple faith in Jesus, she shall be qualified
for victory. She shall vanquish the world. When she has thrown aside the
woodenswordof carnalreasonand has takenup the true Jerusalemblade of
faith in God. Then because of all this, let me plead —
V. FOR A LOVING REVERENCE FOR CHILDHOOD. It seems to me that
in the Lord's battle there is always a babe in the forefront. The child found in
the ark of bulrushes crushes the power of Pharaoh;the boy David, Goliath;
and the still loftier story of the battle of the Lamb opens in like manner,
"Unto us a Child is born," etc. Never doubt the possibility of children's
conversions. Neverdespise them. Do not say, "Oh, they are only a parcelof
boys and girls!" What if they are? Maythey not be a better parcelthan some
of you? If we could get the simple trustfulness of childhood back again, it
would be a greatgain. Let us not undervalue the praises or the service of
children. That is a sweetvein. "And Samuel ministered before the Lord, being
a child. In the victory of the Church it is written, A little child shall lead
them." This city of ours is better evangelisedby our Sunday schools than by
all the rest of us put together. Little Mary and Tommy come back from

school, and they find that father is hardly dressed;he has not been to a place
of worship, but reading the Sunday paper; he don't want any of your singing
and preaching. But the children begin to sing, and when dinner is over, they
talk about What teachersaid, and perhaps saysomething about the sermon.
And so the father gets more singing and preaching than he bargainedfor.
When they go to bed, they clasptheir little hands and pray for their father,
and he is obliged to hear them. Thus he gets praying as wellas singing. The
children are missionaries. Theyenter where others cannot. Tommy and Mary
can't be shut out.
( C. H. Spurgeon.)
Little children God's strongholdfor troubled men
Samuel Cox, D. D.
The common interpretation is, that God uses men who are, for weaknessand
insufficiency, as babes. Not that He literally uses "babes and sucklings."This
interpretation, so common in the Church, has never found favour in the
synagogue. The Rabbis have a surprising love for children. They apply to
children and schools allthe Scripture verses that speak of flowers and
gardens. The Talmud is full of stories which indicate this love for the little
ones — e.g. "There was once a great drought, and the most pious men wept
and prayed for rain, but none came. At length an insignificant personprayed,
and instantly the heavens coveredthemselves with clouds, and the rain fell,
'Who are you,' they cried, 'whose prayers have alone prevailed?' And he
answered, 'I am a teacherof little children.'" Again, "When God was about to
give His law to His people, He askedthem whom they would offer as
guarantees that they would keepit holy, and they said, 'Abraham.' God said,
'Abraham has sinned; Isaac, Jacob, Moses himself, they have all sinned; I
cannot acceptthem.' Then they said, 'May our children be witnesses andour
guarantees?'And God acceptedthem, even as it is written. 'From the mouth
of the little babes has He preached His empire.'" The literal rendering is to he
preferred. This verse is quoted in the Gospelby Matthew in a way which is

quite decisive of the meaning. That we should thus understand them is shown
—
1. From the generaldrift of the Psalm. The little children trust and love and
are at peace, thoughmen be so different.
2. From sympathy and agreementin this truth, which we find in other great
poets, such as Wordsworth, "Trailing clouds of glory," etc.
3. From our ownexperience, children suggesthelpful, restful thoughts. If in
his origin man is so pure and so divine, must he not be capable of a Divine
strength and blessedness?
(Samuel Cox, D. D.)
The useful ministry of children
DeanFarrar, D. D.
In the Middle Ages lived the greattheologian, the greatChancellorof the
University of Paris, JeanGerson, whose whole life was spent in storms of
political struggle and religious strife, and when, after his long years of
turbulent battle to beard popes and burn heretics, he took refuge in the
silence and solitude of a monastic cell, his one joy was to gatherthe little
children round his bed and bid them pray, "Lord, have mercy on Thy poor
servant, JeanGerson";and even the strong combative soul of Luther melted
to tenderness in the presence oflittle ones;and it was the voice of a little girl
singing a hymn on a doorstepat Weimar that dispelled the heartache ofPhilip
Melanchthon; and the agonies ofthe Scotchmartyr Wishart were soothed
when, to the taunt that he had a devil, the voice of a little child was heard
replying, "You man does not speak like a man that hath a devil"; and George
Whitfield was cheeredand encouragedwhenhe saw the little boys and girls
who had gatheredaround his pulpit lifting to him in pity their tearful faces
when the mobs pelted him with stones and dirt. And thus to these saints, and
many more, has the trustfulness and simplicity of little children been, as it was
to the heart of David, a strength made perfectin weaknessto still their own

enemies and the enemies of God. And which of us personally has not felt from
the reminiscences ofhis own childhood, if, indeed, a pang of shame to think
that we are in some things farther from heaven than then, yet also an
inspiration of hope and strength?
(DeanFarrar, D. D.)
A prophecy of the Incarnation
JosephMede, B. D.
These words are allegedby our blessedSaviour (Matthew 21:16), to prove
that Christ must reign till He has subdued all His enemies under His feet. He
that reads this whole Psalm would think it were nothing else but a description
of man's excellency, whomGod had made next to the angels in dignity, and
given him dominion over all things He had made. How is that which is a
description of mankind in general, a prophecy of Christ in special!The key of
the interpretation of this Psalm is to be sought in the words, "Out of the
mouth of babes and sucklings," etc.
1. The meaning of the words as they stand in the Psalm. The whole drift of the
Psalmis to praise and glorify Godfor the dignity wherewith Fie hath invested
man. This glory and honour is seenin two particulars.
(1)In that God hath ordained that weak and feeble creature man to subdue
and conquer His enemies.
(2)In that He hath made man the lord of all His creatures.
2. The purport of these words was fulfilled in our blessedSaviour's
incarnation. The devil by sin brought mankind into thraldom, and became the
prince of this world, himself with his angels being worshipped and served
everywhere as gods. To vanquish and exterminate this enemy, and redeem the
world from this miserable thraldom, the Son of God took on Him, not the
nature of angels, but the nature of weak and despicable man, that grows from
a babe and suckling. And the Son of Man enables also other sons of men, His
disciples and ministers, to do the like in His name.

3. This victory, as for the event, so for the manner of achieving it, is agreeable
to our prophecy. Forasmuchas Christ our Generalnor fights, nor conquers
by force of arms, but by the power of His Word and Spirit, which is "the
powerof His mouth," according to the text, "Out of the mouth," etc.
(JosephMede, B. D.)
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings - We have seenhow our Lord applied
this passageto the Jewishchildren, who, seeing his miracles, cried out in the
temple, "Hosanna to the Sonof David!" Matthew 21:16. And we have seen
how the enemy and the avenger - the chief priests and the scribes - were
offended because ofthese things; and as the Psalmwholly concerns Jesus
Christ, it is most probable that in this actof the Jewishchildren the prophecy
had its primary fulfillment; and was left to the Jews as a witness and a sign of
the Messiah, whichthey should have acknowledgedwhenour Lord directed
their attention to it.
There is also a very obvious sense in which the mouths of babes and sucklings
show forth the praises of God; viz., the means by which they derive their first
nourishment. In order to extractthe milk from the breasts of their mothers,
they are obliged to empty their own mouths entirely of air, that the eternal
air, pressing on the breast, may force the milk through its proper canals into
the mouth of the child, where there is no resistance,the child having extracted
all air from its own mouth which in this case resembles a perfectly exhausted
receiveron the plate of an airpump; and the action of sucking is performed on
the same principle that the receiveris exhausted by the working of the
airpump. Of this curious pneumatic actionthe child is capable the moment it
breathes;and, its strength considered, performs it as perfectly the first hour

as it does in any other period of its childhood or infancy. What does all this
argue? Why instinct. And pray what is instinct? You cannot tell. But here is
an operation by which the pure Boyleanvacuum is made; and this by an
infant without any previous teaching! Do you suppose that this is an easy
operation, and that it requires little skill? You are mistaken. You have done
this yourself while an infant under the sole guidance of God. Canyou do it
now? You are startled! Shall I tell you what appears to you a secret? There is
not one in ten thousand adults, who have had their first nourishment from the
breasts of their mothers who can perform the same operation again!And
those who have had occasionto practice it have found greatdifficulty to learn
that art which, in the first moment of their birth, they performed to
perfection! Here is the finger of God; and here, out of the mouths of babes
and sucklings, he has ordained such a strength of evidence and argument in
favor of his being his providence, and his goodness, as is sufficient to still and
confound every infidel and atheistin the universe, all the enemies of
righteousness, andall the vindicators of desperate and hopeless causesand
systems.
The words may also be applied to the apostles and primitive preachers of the
Gospel;to the simple and comparatively unlearned followers of Christ, who,
through his teaching, were able to confound the wise among the Jews, and the
mighty among the heathens:and in this sense our Lord uses the term babes,
Matthew 11:25; : "I thank thee, O Father - because thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealedthem to babes."
We may also witness, in the experience of multitudes of simple people who
have been, by the preaching of the Gospel, convertedfrom the error of their
ways, such a strength of testimony in favor of the work of God in the heart
and his effectualteaching in the mind, as is calculatedto still, or reduce to
silence, everything but bigotry and prejudice, neither of which has either eyes
or ears. This teaching, and these changing or converting influences, come
from God. They are not acquired by human learning; and those who put this
in the place of the Divine teaching never grow wise to salvation. To enter into
the kingdom of heaven, a Man must become as a little child.

Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
Out of the mouth - This passageis quoted by the Saviour in Matthew 21:16, to
vindicate the conduct of the children in the temple crying, “Hosanna to the
Son of David,” againstthe objections of the Pharisees andScribes, and is
perhaps alluded to by him in Matthew 11:25. It is not affirmed, however, in
either place, that it had an original reference to the times of the Messiah, or
that it was meant, as used by the psalmist, to denote that children would be
employed in the praise of God. The language sufficiently expressedthe idea
which the Saviour meant to convey;and the princip e or greattruth involved
in the psalm was applicable to the use which he made of it. The language
would, perhaps, most naturally denote that infant children would give
utterance to the praises of God, as the word “mouth” is used; but still it is not
quite certain that the psalmist meant to convey that idea. It is probable, as we
shall see, that he meant to say, God had conferred greathonor on men - men
so humble and weak that they might be comparedto infants - by making them
the means of overthrowing his enemies, thus showing the greatnessofthe
divine condescension.
Babes - The word used here - ‫ללעע‬ ‛ôlêl - means properly a boy or child, and is
usually connectedwith the word rendered sucklings, Jeremiah44:7;
Lamentations 2:11. It is applied to a boy playing in the streets, Jeremiah6:11;
Jeremiah9:21; asking for bread, Lamentations 4:4,; carriedaway captive,
Lamentations 1:5; borne in the arms, Lamentations 2:20; and once to an
unborn infant, Job 3:16. It refers here to a child, or to one who is like a child;
and the idea is that those to whom it is applied were naturally unable to
accomplishwhat was done by them, and that God had honored them, and had
shown his own condescension, by making them the instruments of doing what
they had done.
And sucklings - The word used here - ‫קלוי‬ yôneq - means a suckling, or a
suckling child, a babe, Deuteronomy32:25. It may be used literally, or
employed to denote one who, in respectto strength, may be comparedwith a
babe. The latter is probably the use made of it here.

Hast thou ordained strength - The word rendered ordained - ‫קסי‬ yâsad-
means to found, to lay the foundation of, as of a building, Ezra 3:12; Isaiah
54:11. Then it means to establish, appoint, ordain, constitute, etc. The
meaning here is, that in what is referred to, there was, as it were, some basis
or foundation for what is called“strength;” that is, that what is here meant by
“strength” restedon that as a foundation - to wit, on what was done by babes
and sucklings. The word “strength” is rendered by the Septuagint as “praise”
- αἷνον ainon - and this is followedin the quotation in Matthew 21:16. The
same rendering is adopted in the Latin Vulgate and in the Syriac. The Hebrew
word - ‫לע‬ ‛ôz - properly means strength, might; and the idea here would seem
to be, that even from babes and sucklings - from those who were in themselves
so feeble - God had takenoccasionto accomplisha work requiring great
power- to wit, in “stilling the enemy and the avenger;” that is, he had made
those who were so feeble the instruments of accomplishing so greata work.
Becauseofthine enemies - In respectto thine enemies, orin order to
accomplishsomething in regardto them, namely, in stilling them, as is
immediately specified. The idea is, that there were those who rose up against
God, and opposedhis government and plans, and that God, in overcoming
them, instead of putting forth his own power directly, had condescendedto
employ those who were weak and feeble like little children. Who these enemies
were is not specified, but it is most natural to suppose that the reference is to
some of the foes of the author of the psalm, who had been subdued by the
prowess ofhis arm - by strength imparted to him, though in himself feeble as
an infant.
That thou mightest still - Mightestcause to rest, or to cease. The originalword
- ‫תבׁש‬ shâbath - from which our word Sabbath is derived, means to rest; to lie
by; to sit down; to sit still; and in the Hiphil, to cause to rest, or to cause to
desist; to put an end to, Ezekiel34:10; Joshua 22:25;Psalm46:9; Proverbs
18:18. Here it means to bring to an end the purposes of the enemy and the
avenger;or, to cause him to desistfrom his designs.
The enemy - The enemy of the writer, regarded also as the enemy of God.

And the avenger- One who was endeavoring to take revenge, or who was
acting as if determined to avenge some imaginary or realwrong. This, too,
may refer either to some one who was seeking to revenge himself on the
author of the psalm, or who, with the spirit of revenge, stoodup againstGod,
and had sethimself againsthim.
In regard to the meaning of this verse, which I apprehend is the key to the
whole psalm, and which contains the original germ of the psalm, or the
thought which suggestedthe train of reflectionin it, the following remarks
may be made:
(a) There is no evidence that it was designedto refer originally to infants, or to
children of any age, as stating anything which they would do in contributing
to the praise of God, or as defeating sceptics and cavillers by “their instinctive
recognitionof God‘s being and glory,” as is supposed by Calvin, DeWette,
Prof. Alexander, and others. What is said here to be done by “babes and
sucklings” has reference to some mighty enemy that had been overcome, not
to anything which had been effectedby the influence of the recognitionof God
by little children. It may be doubted, also, whether there is any such
“instinctive admiration of his works, evenby the youngestchildren,” as would
be “a strong defense againstthose who would question the being and glory” of
God, as is supposedby Prof. Alexander and others;and, at all events, that is
not the manifest thought in the passage.
(b) Nor does it refer merely to praise as proceeding from children, as being
that by which the effectreferred to is accomplished. It is true that this idea is
in the translation by the Septuagint, and true that it is so quoted in Matthew
21:16, and true, also, that, as quoted by the Saviour, and as originally applied,
it was adapted to the end which the Saviour had in view - to silence the chief
priests and Scribes, who objectedto the praises and hosannas of the children
in the temple, for the psalm, on any interpretation, originally meant that God
would accomplishgoodeffects by those who were feeble and weak as children,
and this principle was applicable to the praises of the children in the temple.
But it does not appear that it originally referred to praise, either of children
or others. It was to some manifestedstrength or prowess, by which some
enemy, or some one who was seeking revenge, wasovercome by the

instrumentality of those who might be compared with children on accountof
their feebleness. Fromthis the psalmist takes occasionto make his reflections
on the exalted honor conferred in generalon a creature so weak and feeble as
man, especiallyin the wide dominion granted him over the inferior creation.
(c) This was, not improbably, some enemy of the author of the psalm; but who
it was is not mentioned. David was often, however, in the course of his life, in
such circumstances as are here supposed. Might it not refer to Goliath of Gath
- a mighty giant, and a formidable enemy of the people of God, overcome by
David, quite a stripling - a child? Would not the language ofthe psalm agree
with that? Was it not true that he was an “enemy” and an “avenger,” orone
socking revenge?and was it not true that God had, from one who was a mere
child, “ordainedstrength” to subdue him?
(d) God had, then, condescendedto honor one who was in himself weak and
feeble as a child - who had no powerof himself to accomplishwhat had been
done.
(e) This was greatcondescensiononthe part of God; and especiallywas it to
be so regardedwhen the eye lookedout - as the author of the psalm appears to
have done at the time of its composition - on the starry heavens, and
contemplated their greatnessand grandeur. What astonishing condescension
was it that he who marshalled all those hosts should bestow such honor on
man!
(f) It was not, therefore, unnatural to reflect on the greatnessofthe honor
which God had actually bestowedon man, and the dignity to which God had
exalted him; and the psalmist is thus, from a particular actof his
condescension, ledinto the beautiful train of reflections on the exalted
dominion of man with which the psalm concludes. Thus understood, the psalm
has no orignal reference to the Messiah, but still it contains the principle on
which the apostle reasons in Hebrews 2, for the dignity of man is most seenin
the Redeemer, and the actual conferring of all the dignity and honor referred
to in the psalm - the actualand entire subjugation of the earth to man - will be
found only in the universal dominion concededto Him. At the same time,
however, there is a foundation for all that the psalmist says in respectto the

honor originally conferredon man, and in his actualdominion over the
inferior creation.
The Biblical Illustrator
Psalms 8:2
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength.
The strength of feeble instrumentalities
The sudden drop from the glories of the heavens to the babble and prattle of
infancy and childhood is most impressive, and gives extraordinary force to the
paradox that the latter’s witness is more powerful to silence gainsayersthan
that of the former. This conviction is expressedin a noble metaphor, which is
blurred by the rendering “strength.” The word here rather means “a
strength,” in the old use of the term--that is, a stronghold or fortress;and the
image, somewhatmore daring than cold westerntaste finds permissible, is
that out of such frail material as children’s speech, God builds a towerof
strength, which, like some border castle, will bridle and still the restless
enemy. There seems no sufficient reasonfor taking “children and sucklings”
in any but its natural meaning, howeverthe reference to lowly believers may
accordwith the spirit of the Psalm. The children’s voices are takenas a type
of feeble instruments, which are yet strong enough to silence the enemy.
Childhood, “with no language but a cry,” is, if rightly regardedin its source,
its budding possibilities, its dependence, its growth, a more potent witness to a
more wondrous name than are all the stars. In like manner, man is man’s
clearestrevelationof God. The more lowly he is, the more lofty his testimony.
What are all His servants’words but the babbling of children who “do not
know half the deep things they speak”?God’s strongestfortress is built of
weakeststones If the two parts of the Psalmare to be kept together, the theme
of the compendious first portion must be the same as that of the second,
namely, the glory of God as revealedby nature and man, but most chiefly by

the latter, notwithstanding and even by his comparative feebleness.(A.
Maclaren, D. D.)
God glorified by children’s mouths
This Psalmsings of the grandeur of God as seenin creation. Our subject is
His powerdisplayed in human weakness.
I. There is a conflict. Our text speaks ofenemies. We know who they are--the
seedof the serpent. We know how it began, and it goes on, on the enemy’s
part, in the same fashion. God uses weapons, mainly, of a moral and spiritual
sort. He has used, and He canand will, when needful, use others.
II. In this conflict the weapons are very singular. “Out of the mouth of babes,”
etc. Bring hither that sweetbabe. See that little mouth--it challengesa kiss:
and note with joy that God may use that little mouth as His conquering
weaponagainstthe devil. I have seenmany an ancient cannon upon which
were moulded in bronze the words, “The last argument of kings.” Yes, but the
gracious arguments of the King of kings are sent home by a human mouth,
and that of a little child. How Satanmust be angeredthat his craft is not met
by craft. Already the testimony of feeble men has been used as the great
powerof God. How are these weapons used? These strangelysoft, yet sharp,
feeble, yet mighty weapons--how are they used?
1. They smite by prayer. Children pray and they are heard.
2. By praise, which louvers the pride of His adversaries, while they cry
“Hosannah!” and sing the praise of Jesus’name.
3. And by testimony. We never know what one child’s mouth can do. Christ is
the Word, but these mouths supply the voices by which it is sounded forth.
The Hebrew reads, “hastThou founded strength,” as if the very foundation of
the Church’s strength lay in the mouths that God moves to speak.

III. The warriors in this warfare are very special. “Babesandsucklings”
(Matthew 11:25; 1 Corinthians 1:1-31). Such are those who proclaim Christ in
the world. Our Lord would get little honour from our race if all children’s
voices were hushed, and all childlike spirits with them. Scribes and Pharisees
never cry “Hosannah!” they are so busy binding on their phylacteries,
washing their hands, and devouring widows’houses. The first to cry
“Hosannah!” are the children, and the next are those who are like them. Some
say, “To shout and sing is children’s work”;so it is, and it is ours because we
are children too. Now, note
IV. That the qualification of these warriors lies in their weak side. If it lay on
the strong side, we should react, “Out of the mouth of men of middle age, in
the prime of life; of wise old men, who have had long experience, God
ordaineth strength.” But no, it is “Out of the mouths of babes,” etc. Thus the
Lord puts the adversaryto a perpetual reproach. He puts a child againstHis
giant foe, and overcomes him. Our power to serve God lies on our weak side.
He uses not our greatness, but our littleness. You know what the learned men
say is the weak part of some of us--they put it something like this: “We regret
the preacher’s totalinability to keepabreastof the times; his incapacity for
modern thought; and his want of affectionfor the higher culture.” That is our
weakness.Yes, and our strength, and therefore we glory in it. “I determined
not to know anything among you save Jesus Christand Him crucified.” If all
God’s servants will come to this, they will do far more goodthan by the so-
called“culture,” which is nothing but the science ofgrowing more weeds than
usual I have desired to be a little child again, and wished that I had never
heard of the existence of a quibbler. We hear now-a-days much of “great
thinkers”; we prefer to be greatbelievers. When the Church gets back to her
simple faith in Jesus, she shallbe qualified for victory. She shall vanquish the
world. When she has thrown aside the woodensword of carnalreasonand has
takenup the true Jerusalemblade of faith in God. Then because ofall this, let
me plead--

V. For a loving reverence for childhood. It seems to me that in the Lord’s
battle there is always a babe in the forefront. The child found in the ark of
bulrushes crushes the powerof Pharaoh;the boy David, Goliath; and the still
loftier story of the battle of the Lamb opens in like manner, “Unto us a Child
is born,” etc. Never doubt the possibility of children’s conversions. Never
despise them. Do not say, “Oh, they are only a parcelof boys and girls!” What
if they are? May they not be a better parcel than some of you? If we could get
the simple trustfulness of childhood back again, it would be a greatgain. Let
us not undervalue the praises or the service of children. That is a sweetvein.
“And Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child. In the victory of the
Church it is written, A little child shall lead them.” This city of ours is better
evangelisedby our Sunday schools than by all the rest of us put together.
Little Mary and Tommy come back from school, and they find that father is
hardly dressed;he has not been to a place of worship, but reading the Sunday
paper; he don’t want any of your singing and preaching. But the children
begin to sing, and when dinner is over, they talk about What teachersaid, and
perhaps say something about the sermon. And so the father gets more singing
and preaching than he bargainedfor. When they go to bed, they clasptheir
little hands and pray for their father, and he is obliged to hear them. Thus he
gets praying as well as singing. The children are missionaries. Theyenter
where others cannot. Tommy and Mary can’t be shut out. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Little children God’s stronghold for troubled men
The common interpretation is, that God uses men who are, for weaknessand
insufficiency, as babes. Not that He literally uses “babes and sucklings.”This
interpretation, so common in the Church, has never found favour in the
synagogue. The Rabbis have a surprising love for children. They apply to
children and schools allthe Scripture verses that speak of flowers and
gardens. The Talmud is full of stories which indicate this love for the little
ones--e.g. “Therewas once a greatdrought, and the most pious men wept and
prayed for rain, but none came. At length an insignificant personprayed, and
instantly the heavens coveredthemselves with clouds, and the rain fell, ‘Who
are you,’ they cried, ‘whose prayers have alone prevailed?’ And he answered,
‘I am a teacherof little children.’” Again, “When God was about to give His
law to His people, He askedthem whom they would offer as guarantees that

they would keepit holy, and they said, ‘Abraham.’ God said, ‘Abraham has
sinned; Isaac, Jacob, Moseshimself, they have all sinned; I cannotaccept
them.’ Then they said, ‘May our children be witnesses andour guarantees?’
And God acceptedthem, even as it is written. ‘From the mouth of the little
babes has He preached His empire.’” The literal rendering is to he preferred.
This verse is quoted in the Gospelby Matthew in a way which is quite decisive
of the meaning. That we should thus understand them is shown--
1. From the generaldrift of the Psalm. The little children trust and love and
are at peace, thoughmen be so different.
2. From sympathy and agreementin this truth, which we find in other great
poets, such as Wordsworth, “Trailing clouds of glory,” etc.
3. From our ownexperience, children suggesthelpful, restful thoughts. If in
his origin man is so pure and so divine, must he not be capable of a Divine
strength and blessedness?(SamuelCox, D. D.)
The useful ministry of children
In the Middle Ages lived the greattheologian, the greatChancellorof the
University of Paris, JeanGerson, whose whole life was spent in storms of
political struggle and religious strife, and when, after his long years of
turbulent battle to beard popes and burn heretics, he took refuge in the
silence and solitude of a monastic cell, his one joy was to gatherthe little
children round his bed and bid them pray, “Lord, have mercy on Thy poor
servant, JeanGerson”;and even the strong combative soul of Luther melted
to tenderness in the presence oflittle ones;and it was the voice of a little girl
singing a hymn on a doorstepat Weimar that dispelled the heartache ofPhilip
Melanchthon; and the agonies ofthe Scotchmartyr Wishart were soothed
when, to the taunt that he had a devil, the voice of a little child was heard
replying, “You man does not speak like a man that hath a devil”; and George
Whitfield was cheeredand encouragedwhenhe saw the little boys and girls
who had gatheredaround his pulpit lifting to him in pity their tearful faces
when the mobs pelted him with stones and dirt. And thus to these saints, and
many more, has the trustfulness and simplicity of little children been, as it was
to the heart of David, a strength made perfectin weaknessto still their own

enemies and the enemies of God. And which of us personally has not felt from
the reminiscences ofhis own childhood, if, indeed, a pang of shame to think
that we are in some things farther from heaven than then, yet also an
inspiration of hope and strength? (Dean Farrar, D. D.)
A prophecy of the Incarnation
These words are allegedby our blessedSaviour (Matthew 21:16), to prove
that Christ must reign till He has subdued all His enemies under His feet. He
that reads this whole Psalm would think it were nothing else but a description
of man’s excellency, whomGod had made next to the angels in dignity, and
given him dominion over all things He had made. How is that which is a
description of mankind in general, a prophecy of Christ in special!The key of
the interpretation of this Psalm is to be sought in the words, “Out of the
mouth of babes and sucklings,” etc.
1. The meaning of the words as they stand in the Psalm. The whole drift of the
Psalmis to praise and glorify Godfor the dignity wherewith Fie hath invested
man. This glory and honour is seenin two particulars.
2. The purport of these words was fulfilled in our blessedSaviour’s
incarnation. The devil by sin brought mankind into thraldom, and became the
prince of this world, himself with his angels being worshipped and served
everywhere as gods. To vanquish and exterminate this enemy, and redeem the
world from this miserable thraldom, the Son of God took on Him, not the
nature of angels, but the nature of weak and despicable man, that grows from
a babe and suckling. And the Son of Man enables also other sons of men, His
disciples and ministers, to do the like in His name.
3. This victory, as for the event, so for the manner of achieving it, is agreeable
to our prophecy. Forasmuchas Christ our Generalnor fights, nor conquers
by force of arms, but by the power of His Word and Spirit, which is “the
powerof His mouth," according to the text, “Out of the mouth,” etc. (Joseph
Mede, B. D.)
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings,.... Notliterally such, though the
JewishwritersF5 generallyso understand it; as do some Christian
interpreters, who explain it of the wonderful formation, nourishment, and
growth of infants; and of the marvellous care of God in providing the breast
for them; in filling it with milk, and teaching them to suck; which, being
observedby men, occasionpraise to God, to the confusion of atheists and
infidels. But this is no other than what is common to brute creatures:rather
the words are to be understood in a figurative sense. So Jarchiapplies them to
the priests and Levites in the temple: but it is best to interpret them of the
apostles and first preachers ofthe Gospel;and of such who receivedit and
professedit; who were in their own eyes, and in the eyes of the world, as babes
and sucklings, Matthew 11:25;
hast thou ordained strength: by which is meant the Gospel, the rod of Christ's
strength, and the power of God unto salvation;and which being made useful
for the conversionof souls, is the cause ofmuch praise and thanksgiving to
God: this, by the mouths and means of the apostles and first ministers of the
word, God ordained, or "founded"F6, settledand establishedin the world,
notwithstanding all the opposition made unto it; so that the gates of hell
cannot prevail againstit, to root it out of the world; but it will continue the
everlasting Gospel;
because ofthine enemies:either for the sake ofsubduing them, and bringing
them to the obedience of Christ, that is, the electof God, who are before
conversionenemies to God and Christ; or rather for the sake ofconfounding
the implacable enemies of Godand Christ, and of the cause and interest of
religion. In order to which God has made choice ofinstruments the most
mean and despicable, 1 Corinthians 1:26; and God's end in this more
particularly is expressedin the following clause;
that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger;Satan, the enemy of
mankind, the adversaryof Christ personaland mystical, who is filled with
envy, wrath, and malice, againstChrist and his people; him, by the, means of
the Gospeland the ministry of it, God has "causedto cease"F7, as the word
may be rendered; not as to his being, but as to his powerand authority, in the
Gentile world; out of which, to his greatmortification, he was cast, by the

mouth and ministry of babes and sucklings. These words are applied by
Christ to the children in the temple, crying Hosanna to the son of David, out
of whose mouths God perfected the praise of the Messiah;and by which, and
Christ's defence of them, the Scribes and Pharisees,the mortal enemies of
Christ, and who wanted to revenge themselves on him, were silencedand
stilled, Matthew 21:15.
Geneva Study Bible
Out of the mouth a of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength
because ofthine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(a) Though the wickedwould hide God's praises, yet the very babes are
sufficient witnesses ofthe same.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So manifest are God‘s perfections, that by very weak instruments He
conclusivelysets forth His praise. Infants are not only wonderful illustrations
of God‘s powerand skill, in their physical constitution, instincts, and early
developed intelligence, but also in their spontaneous admiration of God‘s
works, by which they put to shame -
still — or, silence men who rail and cavil againstGod. A specialillustration of
the passage is afforded in Matthew 21:16, when our Savior stilled the cavillers
by quoting these words; for the glories with which God invested His incarnate
Son, even in His humiliation, constitute a most wonderful display of the
perfections of His wisdom, love, and power. In view of the scope ofPsalm 8:4-
8 (see below), this quotation by our Savior may be regardedas an exposition
of the prophetical characterofthe words.
sucklings — among the Hebrews were probably of an age to speak (compare 1
Samuel 1:22-24;Mark 7:27).

ordained — founded, or prepared, and perfected, which occurs in Matthew
21:16;taken from the Septuagint, has the same meaning.
strength — In the quotation in the New Testament, praise occurs as the
consequence oreffectput for the cause (compare Psalm 118:14).
avenger— as in Psalm44:16; one desirous of revenge, disposedto be
quarrelsome, and so apt to cavil againstGod‘s government.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because
of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Babes — Weak and foolish, and contemptible persons, who are frequently
calledbabes or children. Such are very unfit to grapple with an enemy: and
therefore when such persons conquer the most powerful and malicious
enemies, it must needs confound them, and advance the glory of God: as
indeed it did, when such mean persons as the apostles, and disciples of Christ,
maintained and propagatedthe gospel, in spite of all the wit, power, and rage
of their enemies.
Ordained — Perfectlyor firmly settledstrength; that is, the praise of his
strength or power, Matthew 21:16, it is rendered praise.
Still — Silence and confound them.
Avenger — The devil, and all who are his vassals and espouse his quarrel.
Ver. 2. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast prepared for
thyself a power. ‫,םקעעלל‬ are children in general‫,םקיולק‬ children till the third
year, up to which the Hebrew At womenused to suckle their children. De
Wette, without cause, stumbles at the circumstance, that praise to God is here

ascribedto sucklings. Even a little child is consciousofpleasure, in looking
upon the lovely scenes ofnature, in particular, upon the starry heavens, which
are here specificallymentioned, and this admiration of the works of God is a
sort of silent praising of them. According to De Wette, and others, the sense
must be "The child, his existence, his life, his advancement, &c., proclaim God
as creator." Or: "The child, even in his happy being in the fulness of his
delight in life, is a witness of God's renown, But the incorrectness ofthis view
is evinced partly by its rendering the expression, "out of the mouth," devoid
of meaning,—for no one surely will agree with Hoffmann in thinking, that
"the mouth" here is superfluous,—andpartly because the allusion to children,
in proof of the creative power of God, is here quite unsuitable, as in the
following verse, which againtakes up and resumes the subject of Psalms 8:1
and Psalms 8:2, it is God's greatness in the framework of the world that is
discoursedof. The beautiful structure and connectionof the Psalm is entirely
destroyed, if the children are made to praise God through their being, and not
through their admiration of the glory of God, as displayed in heavens,—a
reasonwhich also disproves the view of Umbreit, who, artfully enough, seeks
to get rid of the difficulty connectwith "the mouth," by referring it "to the
living breath of the new-born child, to the first cry of the babe, and the first
movement of the infant lips to pronounce words." It is further to be noticed,
that it would be quite unsuitable to bring forward children here, as proofs of
the creative powerof God, followedup, as it would presently be, by a
declarationof the nothingness of man, for the purpose of magnifying the more
the grace ofGod. If children were indeed viewed as proclaiming the glory of
God, not less than the starry heavens, it might seemnothing wonderful or
unexpected, that God should bestow so richly of his favour upon men. ‫יסק‬
commonly means, to lay the foundation of, and then also to prepare in
general. ‫על‬ most modern commentators take in the sense ofpraise, renown;
but we must retain, with Calvin and others, the sense of might. strength; this
seems the more suitable: God needs for his impotent and foolish adversaries,
no other combatants than children, who are themselves in a condition to
maintain his cause. And what is quite decisive, a more carefulconsiderationof
the passages, in which the word, according to grammarians and
lexicographers, shouldsignify praise, shows that such a meaning is quite
imaginary. ‫על‬ always signifies might or strength. By taking it in the sense of

praise here, the meaning is disfigured. The marked contrastbetweenthe
proud enemies of God, and the little children whom he sets up againstthem as
his force of war, then completely disappears. But God obtains the victory over
his rebellious subjects, by means of children, in so far as it is through their
conscious orunconscious praise of his glory, as that is manifested in the
splendour of his creation, especiallyof the starry firmament, that puts to
shame the hardihood of the deniers of his being or his perfections. Even
Koester, who otherwise egregiouslyerrs in the right construction of the Psalm,
returns here to the correctexplanation:"In ‫,על‬ there is contained a pointed
irony, indicating that the lisping of infants forms a sortof towerof defence (?)
againstthe violent assaults ofthe disowners ofGod, which is perfectly
sufficient."
In order to still the enemy and the revengeful, all those who, if they were
visited by thee for their sins, would burn againstthee with foolish rage and
impotent revenge. The words are a farther extension of the preceding ones;
because ofthine adversaries. The enemy and the revengefulare united here
together, just as in Psalms 44:16, where they have for their accompaniment
the reproacherand blasphemer. How revenge might be spokenofin respectto
God, is shownespeciallyby the book of Job, where, for example, Elihu in Job
36:13, speaks ofthe lawless, "who heapup wrath, and cry not when he
bindeth them;" that is, when God inflicts sufferings upon them, they flee not
for pardon and grace, but kick againsthim, referring speciallyto Job, who,
because punishment of sin was combined with want of acknowledgmentofsin,
turned his spirit againstGod, and cried out againsthim to the blood avenger
of his wrong, existing not on earth but in heaven: "O earth, covernot thou my
blood, and let my cry have no place." In modern literature, nothing could be
of more service to keepus from every attempt to force a foreign meaning
upon ‫,םיוׁשמ‬ than the journal of Carl von Hohenhausen, in the work:C. v.
Hohen. Untergang eines Jünglings von achtzehn Jahren, Braunschw. 1836.
What but the most burning revenge discovers itselfthere in such expressions
as the following:"Lord of the heavens and the earth, what have I done to
Thee, that Thou crushestme!" "No words of reproachare to big for me, they
all vanish before the weight of my sufferings;" "Almighty! That when He is
resolvedon crushing me, crushes me to pieces so very slowly! were a man to

do this, one would say, that it must proceedfrom the most miserable
weakness,orthe meanestmalice." We see everywhere, that he would rather
have murdered Godthan himself.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
He now enters upon the proof of the subjectwhich he had undertaken to
discourse upon, (132)declaring, that the providence of God, in order to make
itself known to mankind, does not wait till men arrive at the age of maturity,
but even from the very dawn of infancy shines forth so brightly as is sufficient
to confute all the ungodly, who, through their profane contempt of God,
would wish to extinguish his very name. (133)
The opinion of some, who think that ‫,קפמ‬ mephi, out of the mouth, signifies ‫,קפכ‬
kephi, in the mouth, cannot be admitted, because it improperly weakensthe
emphasis which David meant to give to his language and discourse. The
meaning, therefore, is, that God, in order to commend his providence, has no
need of the powerful eloquence of rhetoricians, (134)nor even of distinct and
formed language, becausethe tongues of infants, although they do not as yet
speak, are ready and eloquent enough to celebrate it. But it may be asked, In
what sense does he speak ofchildren as the proclaimers of the glory of God?
In my judgment, those reasonvery foolishly who think that this is done when
children begin to articulate, because then also the intellectual faculty of the
soul shows itself. Granting that they are calledbabes, or infants, even until
they arrive at their seventhyear, how can such persons imagine that those
who now speak distinctly are still hanging on the breast? Noris there any
more propriety in the opinion of those who say, that the words for babes and
sucklings are here put allegoricallyfor the faithful, who, being born againby
the Spirit of God, no longer retain the old age of the flesh. What need, then, is
there to wrest the words of David, when their true meaning is so clearand
suitable? He says that babes and sucklings are advocatessufficiently powerful
to vindicate the providence of God. Why does he not entrust this business to
men, but to show that the tongues of infants, even before they are able to

pronounce a single word, speak loudly and distinctly in commendation of
God’s liberality towards the human race? Whence is it that nourishment is
ready for them as soonas they are born, but because Godwonderfully
changes bloodinto milk? Whence, also, have they the skill to suck, but
because the same God has, by a mysterious instinct, fitted their tongues for
doing this? David, therefore, has the bestreasonfor declaring, that although
the tongues of all, who have arrived at the age of manhood, should become
silent, the speechlessmouth of infants is sufficiently able to celebrate the
praise of God. And when he not only introduces babes as witnessesand
preachers of God’s glory, but also attributes mature strength to their mouth,
the expressionis very emphatic. It means the same thing as if he had said,
These are invincible champions of God who, when it comes to the conflict, can
easilyscatterand discomfit the whole host of the wickeddespisers ofGod, and
those who have abandoned themselves to impiety. (135) We should observe
againstwhom he imposes upon infants the office of defending the glory of
God, namely, againstthe hardened despisers ofGod, who dare to rise up
againstheavento make war upon God, as the poets have said, in olden time,
of the giants. (136)
Since, therefore, these monsters, (137)with furious violence, pluck up by the
roots, and overthrow whatever godliness and the fear of God (138)there is in
the world, and through their hardihood endeavorto do violence to heaven
itself, David in mockery of them brings into the field of battle againstthem the
mouths of infants, which he says are furnished with armor of sufficient
strength, and endued with sufficient fortitude, to lay their intolerable pride
(139)in the dust. He, therefore, immediately subjoins, On accountof the
adversaries Godis not under the necessityof making war with greatpowerto
overcome the faithful, who willingly hearken to his voice, and manifest a
ready obedience, as soonas he gives the smallestintimation of his will. The
providence of God, I confess,shines forth principally for the sake of the
faithful, because they only have eyes to behold it. But as they show themselves
willing to receive instruction, God teaches them with gentleness;while, on the
other hand, he arms himself againsthis enemies, who never submit themselves
to him but by constraint. Some take the word founded as meaning, that, in the
very birth or generationof man, God lays foundations for manifesting his own

glory. But this sense is too restricted. I have no doubt that the word is put for
to establish, as if the prophet had said, God needs not strong military forces to
destroy the ungodly; insteadof these, the mouths of children are sufficient for
his purpose. (140)
To put to flight. Interpreters differ with respectto the word ‫,ׁשקבשה‬ hashebith.
It properly signifies, to cause to cease;for it is in the conjugationHiphil of the
neuter verb ‫,ׁשבש‬ shabath, which signifies to cease.But it is often taken
metaphorically for to destroy, or to reduce to nothing, because destructionor
death brings to an end. Others translate it, that thou mayest restrain, as if
David meant that they were put to silence, so that they desistedfrom cursing
or reviling God. As, however, there is here a beautiful allusion to a hostile
combat, as I have a little before explained, I have preferred the military
phrase, to put to flight. But it is asked, How does God put to flight his
enemies, who, by their impious slanders and detractions, do not ceaseto strike
at, and violently to rush forward to oppose all the proofs of a Divine
Providence which daily manifest themselves? (141)I answer, Theyare not
routed or overthrown in respectof their being compelled to become more
humble and unassuming; but because, withall their blasphemies and canine
barkings, they continue in the state of abasementand confusionto which they
have been brought. To express the whole in a few words:so early as the
generationor birth of man the splendor of Divine Providence is so apparent,
that even infants, who hang upon their mothers’ breasts, canbring down to
the ground the fury of the enemies of God. Although his enemies may do their
utmost, and may even burst with rage a hundred times, it is in vain for them
to endeavor to overthrow the strength which manifests itself in the weakness
of infancy. A desire of revenge reigns in all unbelievers, while, on the other
hand, God governs his own children by the spirit of meeknessand benignity:
(142)but, according to the scope ofthe present passage,the prophet applies
this epithet, the avenger, to the despisers of God, who are not only cruel
towards man, but who also burn with frantic rage to make war even against
God himself.
I have now dischargedthe duty of a faithful interpreter in opening up the
mind of the prophet. There is only one difficulty remaining, which is this, that
Christ (Matthew 21:16)seems to put upon this passage a different meaning,

when he applies it to children ten years old. But this difficulty is easily
removed. Christ reasons from the greaterto the less in this manner; If God
has appointed children even in infancy the vindicators of his glory, there is no
absurdity in his making them the instruments of showing forth his praise by
their tongues after they have arrived at the age of seven years and upwards.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
Psalms 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hastthou ordained
strength because ofthine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the
avenger.
Ver. 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings]Forwhom God hath filled
two bottles of milk againstthey come into the world; and in whose birth
sustenance, andwonderful protection(for Puerilitas estpericulorum pelagus),
but especiallyin their holy and religious education, much of God’s
providence, power, and goodness is clearlyseenand set forth to the conviction
of the vilest atheists. So that, besides the earth and the heavens, we have very
infants preachers ofGod’s praises, and more effectualorators than ever were
Isocrates,Demosthenes,Pericles, &c.;so our Saviour understands it, Matthew
21:9, where the children sang hosanna when the Pharisees were silent. It is
sometimes seen, that
Ipsa Deo blandos fundant cunabula flores.
John Baptist sprang in the womb for joy of Jesus. Jerome writethof Paula,
that noble matron, that she rejoicedin nothing more than this, That she heard
her niece Paula sing Hallelujah in her cradle, In cunis balbutienti lingua
Halleluiah cantare (Hier.). Bellarmine tells us, out of Theodoret, that the
children of Samosatena,playing with at tennis in the midst of the market, did
solemnly castit into the fire, because it had but touched the foot of the ass
whereonLucius the hereticalbishop rode. The children of Merindal so posed
and answeredone another, in matters of religion, before the persecuting
bishop of Cavaillon, that a religious man that stoodby said unto the bishop, I

must needs confess that I have often been at the disputation of the doctors in
Sorbon, but yet I never learned so much as I have done by hearing these
young children (Acts and Mon. fol. 865). When Mr Blecter, the bishop’s
chaplain, told Mr Wiseheart, the Scotchmartyr, that he had a devil in him,
and the spirit of error; a child that stoodby answeredhim, saying, A devil
cannot speak suchwords as yonder man speaketh. At the burning of John
Laurence at Colchester, as he was sitting in the fire (for stand he could not, he
had been so hardly used in the prison), the young children came about the
fire, and cried, Lord, strengthenthy servant, and keepthy promise. Here was
strength out of the mouths of little ones, taught early to speak the language of
Canaan. Sedvae, vae parentibus illis (saith Polanus on the text), But woe, woe
to those parents who make their children (whom God would have to be
witnesses ofhis majesty) witnesses oftheir impiety, pride, and vanity.
That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger] i.e. Silence atheists and
persecutors.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Psalms 8:2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, &c.— The first and most
natural significationof these words is an allusion to the case ofDavid himself;
who, in comparisonof Goliath, was but a mere child; and God's enabling him
to gain a complete victory over this gigantic champion, was not only a proper
punishment for his defiance of the armies of the living God, but likewise
sufficient to make the whole army of the Philistines adore the omnipotence of
the Godof Israelin reverential silence. Our Saviour applies it to himself,
Matthew 21:16., and it may with greatpropriety be applied to the first
preachers of the Gospel;who, though ignorant, illiterate, and void either of
poweror interest, triumphed over the wisdom of the wise, and put to silence
the cavils of the subtle: though some imagine that this quotation was applied
by Christ to children, literally such; yet it is plain, that the Scribes and
Pharisees were notoffended so much at the people, as at their expressions:
When they cried Hosanna to the Son of David, they were displeased, and said

unto Jesus, Hearestthou what these say? i.e. "How they ascribe the powerof
salvationto thee, who art but a mere man? Is that acclamation, Hosanna,
which signifies save now, and is often used in our addresses to God, fit to be
given to thee?" Our Saviour replies, "Yes:for have ye not read, Out of the
mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength? and though, in
this low and abject state, I appear as a man, and seem, in my present
condition, to be as incapable of such poweras a sucking child is of the greatest
enterprise; yet am I to save my faithful disciples, and to subdue the enemies of
my mission, according to the sense of that prophetic passage."Thoughthe
Evangelistcites these verses according to the Septuagint version, Thou hast
perfectedpraise; yet it is most probable that our Saviourused the Hebrew
phrase, which renders the sense clearer;and, though the persons crying
Hosanna are calledchildren in our version, yet it is most likely that they were
grown persons;for they were the persons or multitude who conducted Jesus
to Jerusalem. The Greek word which we render children, is generally applied
to menial servants of all ages;and in Matthew 14:2 it is applied to Herod's
courtiers, or servants. See Mede's Discourses, and2 Kings 2:23.
Hawker's PoorMan's Commentary
The best of all comments on this blessedverse is what Jesus himself hath
given, Matthew 21:15-16. And as in the person of our glorious Head, so in the
instance of all his redeemed, how is the praise of Jehovah perfected, when
babes in Christ are brought out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom
of God's dear Son? How is the accursedenemy and the avengeroverthrown
and discomfited in the instance of every poor sinner made willing in the day of
God's power. Here surely the prey is takenfrom the mighty, and the lawful
captive delivered. Isaiah49:24-25.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
Babes and sucklings;either,
1. Properly such; for there is much of God’s glory seenin infants, in their
conceptionand strange progress from small and contemptible beginnings, in

their preservationand nourishment in the dark cell of the womb, in their
bringing forth and bringing up, in providing breasts and milk for them, and
keeping them from innumerable dangers, from which they are utterly unable
to keepthemselves. But this, though it sets forth God’s praise, yet how it stills
the enemy and avengerseems not clear. Or rather,
2. Metaphoricallyso called, babes not so much in age and years, as in
disposition and condition; weak, and foolish, and contemptible, and harmless
persons, who are very frequently calledbabes or children, as 2 Chronicles
13:7 Proverbs 1:4 Ecclesiastes10:6 Isaiah3:4 Matthew 18:3 Ephesians 4:14,
&c. For such are very unfit to grapple with an enemy; and therefore when
such persons conquer the most powerful and malicious enemies, it must needs
exceedinglyconfound and silence them, and mightily advance the glory of
God; as indeed it did, when such mean and obscure persons as the apostles,
and ministers, and disciples of Christ were, did maintain and propagate the
gospelin spite of all the wit, and power, and rage of their enemies. See 1
Corinthians 1:25,27-29.And of such babes as these Christ himself expounds
this place, Matthew 21:16;of which more, God willing, upon that place.
Hast thou ordained strength; or, thou hastfounded (or confirmed, or
established, or firmly settled, or fitted, or perfected, as it is rendered by the
LXX. and vulgar Latin here, and by St. Matthew, Matthew 21:16, i.e.
perfectly or firmly settled) strength; by which he seems to understand either,
1. The celebrationor praise of his strength or power, by comparing this with
Matthew 21:16; where it is rendered praise. So it is only a metonymy of the
adjunct, which is most frequent in Scripture and all authors. And so the word
strength seems to be taken Psalms 29:1 96:7. Or,
2. A strong and mighty kingdom; the abstractbeing put for the concrete, than
which nothing is more frequent; even the kingdom of Christ, or his gospel,
which is oft calledthe arm or powerof God, as Psalms 110:2 Isaiah53:1 1
Corinthians 1:18,24. And this kingdom being an everlasting, and invincible,
and all conquering kingdom, Daniel 2:44, it is no wonder it is here called
strength. And this gospelor kingdom is here said to be founded or established,
not by the hands or valiant actions of men of might, as other kingdoms are;

but merely by the mouths of babes, &c., i.e. by the words and discourses of
Christ’s apostles and disciples;which is justly observedand celebratedhere as
a wonderful work of God.
That thou mightest still, i.e. silence, and confound, and conquer, either by
convincing and converting them, or by destroying them.
The enemy; the enemies of God and of his people, the devil, the head of them,
whose kingdom and power is abolishedby this means, and all men who fight
under his banner againstGodand Christ and his members. The avenger;
which title most truly and fitly agrees,first to the devil, who being sentenced
by God to eternalflames, and conquered and tormented by Christ, maketh it
his greatbusiness to revenge himself, which because he cannot do upon God
and Christ, he endeavours to do it upon their servants and children; and next
to all these men who are his vassals andespouse his quarrel; who also are
provoked, and conceive, thoughfalsely, that they are injured by the gospel,
and by the preachers, professors, andpractisers of it, and therefore seek to
revenge themselves of them; whereofwe have an eminent instance, Revelation
11:10. Compare Hebrews 11:37.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
2. Out of the mouth of babes—The Hebrew denotes a child in general,
whether infant proper, or, more commonly, one that can“ask bread,”
(Lamentations 4:4,) or play in the street, (Jeremiah 6:11; Jeremiah9:21.)
Sucklings—Achild under three years, the period of nursing by Hebrew
mothers. 2 Maccabees7:27.
Ordained—Literally, laid the foundation, shows clearlythe children here
meant are able to speak, and receive some elementalknowledge. Compare
Matthew 11:25.
Strength—We must retain the sense ofpower, might, and not praise, as some
interpreters, but which the Hebrew will not bear. The antithesis, the apparent
paradox, lies betweenthe proverbial impotence of children and their being

chosenof God to oppose and overthrow the powers of this world. See
Matthew 21:16. This is not to be taken figuratively, as in 1 Corinthians 1:27,
but literally; childhood’s faith and piety shall confound infidelity.
That thou mightest still—That thou mightest cause to cease, orput to silence.
Enemy and the avenger— “Those meantare the fierce and calumniating
opponents of revelation.”—Delitzsch. The “avenger”is one that is inspirited
to cursing and vengeance.This verse implies a knowledge ofhuman enmity
againstGod, and of the divine ways with men, which indicate an experienced
age in the author.
Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
In addition to the earth and the heavens, eventhe weakesthuman beings
bring praise to their Creator. David"s point was that even small children
acknowledge andhonor God, whereas older, more sophisticatedadults often
deny Him (cf. Matthew 21:16). God has chosento use the weak things of this
world to correctthe strong (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:27). Reportedly the young
child of an atheistcouple once askedhis parents, "Do you think God knows
we don"t believe in Him?"
JosephBenson's Commentaryof the Old and New Testaments
Psalms 8:2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings — Children in age, and
children in power and knowledge,persons comparativelyignorant and
foolish, weak and contemptible, but simple, humble, and teachable;thou hast
ordained strength — Hebrew, ‫ׁשיסק‬ ‫,על‬ jissadta gnoz, literally, hast founded, or
constituted strength, hastlaid a foundation for effecting, and hast actually
effected, greatand important purposes. Bishop Patrick, Dr. Hammond, Dr.
Dodd, and some others think that there is an allusion in these words to the

case ofDavid himself, who, though but a mere child, in comparisonof Goliath,
yet, being assistedby the power of God, gaineda complete victory over that
gigantic champion; which was not only a proper punishment of his proud
boastings, and defiance of the armies of the living God, but likewise sufficient
to make the whole army of the Philistines acknowledge andadore the
omnipotence of the God of Israel in reverential silence, atthe same time that it
discomfited and put them to flight. Our Lord, however, applies the words to
little children in the temple, and to the poor and the illiterate people, who,
being simple, teachable, and unprejudiced, acknowledgedJesus forthe
Messiah, andcried, “Hosannahto the son of David,” when the learned scribes,
and self-righteous, self-sufficient Pharisees, despisedand rejectedhim. The
passagemay also be applied, and, probably, was primarily intended to be
applied, to the apostles and first preachers of the gospel, who, though looked
upon but as babes, unlearned and ignorant men, Acts 4:13, mean and
despicable, destitute both of powerand interest; yet triumphed over all the
wisdom of the wise and the powerof the mighty; and overthrew the devil’s
kingdom, as the walls of Jericho were thrown down by the sounding of rams’
horns. Thus the gospel, calledthe arm of the Lord, and the rod of his strength,
has wrought wonders in different ages, notout of the mouths of philosophers
or orators, or by means of politicians or statesmen, but by persons viewed by
the world as babes in literature and human attainments, and who actually lay
under very greatdisadvantages. And the power of God still brings to pass
greatthings in his church by very weak and unlikely instruments; and
confounds the noble, wise, and mighty, by the base, and weak, and foolish
things of the world, that no flesh may glory in his presence, but the excellence
of the powermay the more evidently appear to be of God, and not of man, 1
Corinthians 1:27-28 . Because ofthine enemies — Becausethey are insolent
and haughty; that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger — Mightest
put them to silence and put them to shame; and so be justly avengedon the
avengers:see Acts 4:14; Acts 6:10. The devil is the greatenemy and avenger,
and by the preaching of the gospelhe was in a greatmeasure stilled, his
oracles were silenced, the advocates ofhis cause were confounded, and
unclean spirits themselves not suffered to speak.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
O Lord, (Jehova)our Lord, (Adonenu). (St. Jerome)Dominator noster, "our
Ruler." (Haydock) --- God is Lord of all by creation, and still more of those
who believe. (Worthington) --- Adonai is pronounced by the Jews, and
sometimes applied to men. But they have lost the pronunciation of the first
term, which some read Jehovah, (Calmet) or Jaho, (St. Jerome)Jave, &c.
(Haydock) --- Admirable. It expressesallthat He is. (Exodus iii. 14.; Berthier)
Essenceitself. (Haydock) --- Earth. This was verified after the incarnation;
(St. Chrysostom) for before, the Gentiles knew it not, and the Jews causedit to
be blasphemed. (Berthier) --- Now all confess the glory of Jesus Christ, the
master-piece of God. (Calmet) --- Heavens;which are nothing in comparison,
(Menochius)for he hath createdthem. (Worthington) (Habacuc iii. 3.)
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
Out of, &c. Quoted in Matthew 21:16.
babes. Referring to his own youth. A still more definite reference to 1 Samuel
17:14, 1 Samuel 17:33, 1 Samuel17:42, 1 Samuel 17:55, 1 Samuel 17:56.
ordained = appointed. Hebrew. yasad.
strength. Put by Figure of speechMetonymy (of Subject) for the praise due
for what is put forth by it.
enemies = adversaries.
enemy = foe.
avenger= the revenger.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

Sucklings - children until the third year, up to which the Hebrew women used
to suckle their children (1 Samuel 1:22-24). Even tender children can, by their
admiration of God's works, put to shame the folly of the 'enemies of God' and
of Christ; as the children did the chief priests, who were "sore displeased" at
their 'Hosannas to the Sonof David' (Matthew 21:15). But this was only one
exemplification of the generalprinciple in this verse-namely, that it is by
man's lowliestweaknessthatGod in redemption overthrows man's great
"enemy;" for "Godhath chosenthe weak things of the world to confound the
things which are mighty" (1 Corinthians 1:27). This principle is especially
exemplified in the Babe of Bethlehem, who was at once a "child" and "the
mighty, God, the Everlasting Father" (Isaiah9:6), who "stills the enemy and
the avenger," notmerely by His Almighty power as God, but by the weakness
of His humanity and even infancy. His true disciples are children in spirit, if
not in age, as He declares in Matthew 11:25-26.
Ordained - Hebrew, yicadtaa (Hebrew #3245), 'founded;' in Matthew 21:16,
"perfectedpraise (quoted from the Septuagint), "praise," the effect, being
substituted for "strength," the cause (cf. Psalms 118:14, "my strength ... song
... salvation"):laid the foundation of an edifice to thy "praise" or "glory." A
different Hebrew word from that for "ordained" ( kownaan
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(2) Babes and sucklings.—Better, young children and sucklings. A regular
phrase to describe children from one to three years old (1 Samuel 15:3; 1
Samuel 22:19). The yonek, or suckling, denotes an earlier stage ofthe nursing
period (which, with Hebrew mothers, sometimes extended over three years, 2
Maccabees7:27, and on Talmudic authority could not be less than two years)
than the ôlel, which is applied to children able to play about on the streets
(Jeremiah 9:21; Lamentations 4:4). (See Dr. Ginsburg on EasternManners
and Customs:Bible Educator, i. 29.)
Ordained strength . . .—At the first glance, the LXX. translation, as quoted in
Matthew 21:16 (see Note, New TestamentCommentary), “Thouhast
perfectedpraise,” seems to be correct, from a comparisonwith Psalms 29:1,

where strength translates the same Hebrew word, and plainly means homage.
This expresses,doubtless, part of the thought of the poet, that in a child’s
simple and innocent wonder lies the truest worship; that God accomplishes
the greatestthings and reveals His glory by means of the weakest
instruments—a thought which was seized upon by our Lord to condemn the
want of spirituality in the scribes and Pharisees. Butthe context, speaking the
language ofwar, seems to demand the primitive meaning, stronghold or
defence. The truth which the Bible proclaims of the innate divinity of man, his
essentiallikenessto God, is the principal subject of the poet; and in the
princely heart of innocence of an unspoilt child he sees, as Wordsworthsaw,
its confirmation. “Trailing clouds of glory do we come, From God who is our
home.” Such a proof is strong even againstthe noisy clamour of apostate men,
who rebel againstthe Divine government, and lay upon God the blame of
their aberration from His order. “His merry babbling mouth provides a
defence of the Creatoragainstall the calumnies of the foe” (Ewald). Others
think rather of the faculty of speech, and the wonder and glory of it.
The avenger.—Properly, him who avenges himself.
Treasuryof Scripture Knowledge
Out
Matthew 11:25; 21:16;Luke 10:21; 1 Corinthians 1:27
ordained
Heb. founded. strength.
84:5-7; Isaiah40:31; Amos 5:9; 2 Corinthians 12:9,10

still
4:4; 46:10;Exodus 11:7; 15:16; Joshua 2:9-11;1 Samuel 2:9; Isaiah37:20-
29,36-38;Habakkuk 2:20
the enemy
44:16
E.M. Zerr's Commentary on SelectedBooksofthe New Testament
21:16 These envious men called the attention of Jesus to the cries of the
children as if to suggestthathe stopthe disturbance, but in reality as an
expressionof their displeasure causedby their envy. The quotation Jesus
made is in Psalm8:2 , and in both places the words babes and suck-lings have
about the same meaning. Both mean small children but the first denotes those
who are somewhatthe older of the two. The simple, childlike trust that a little
one shows in the existence and goodness ofGodis one of the sweetestthings
that can be seenin this world. Even those still young enough to be feeding at
the breastwill manifest characteristicsthat canbe explained only by the fact
that they are the handiwork of a gracious Creator.
END OF STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
SPURGEON
EXPOSITION
Verse 2. Nor only in the heavens above is the Lord seen, but the earth beneath
is telling forth his majesty. In the sky, the massive orbs, rolling in their
stupendous grandeur, are witnessesofhis powerin great things, while here
below, the lisping utterances of babes are the manifestations of his strength in
little ones. How often will children tell us of a God whom we have forgotten!
How doth their simple prattle refute those learned fools who deny the being of

God! Many men have been made to hold their tongues, while sucklings have
borne witness to the glory of the God of heaven. It is singular how clearlythe
history of the church expounds this verse. Did not the children cry
"Hosannah!" in the temple, when proud Pharisees were silentand
contemptuous? and did not the Saviour quote these very words as a
justification of their infantile cries? Early church history records many
amazing instances of the testimony of children for the truth of God, but
perhaps more modern instances will be the most interesting. Fox tells us, in
the Book ofMartyrs, that when Mr. Lawrence was burnt in Colchester, he
was carried to the fire in a chair, because through the cruelty of the Papists,
he could not stand upright, severalyoung children came about the fire, and
cried as well as they could speak, "Lord, strengthen thy servant, and keepthy
promise." God answeredtheir prayer, for Mr. Lawrence died as firmly and
calmly as any one could wish to breathe his last. When one of the Popish
chaplains told Mr. Wishart, the greatScotchmartyr, that he had a devil in
him, a child that stood by cried out, "A devil cannot speak suchwords as
yonder man speaketh."One more instance is still nearerto our time. In a
postscript to one of his letters, in which he details his persecutionwhen first
preaching in Moorfields, Whitfield says, "I cannothelp adding that several
little boys and girls, who were fond of sitting round me on the pulpit while I
preached, and handed to me people's notes -- though they were often pelted
with eggs, dirt, &c., thrown at me -- never once gave way; but on the contrary,
every time I was struck, turned up their little weeping eyes, and seemedto
wish they could receive the blows for me. God make them, in their growing
years, greatand living martyrs for him who, out of the mouths of babes and
sucklings, perfects praise!" He who delights in the songs of angels is pleasedto
honour himself in the eyes of his enemies by the praises of little children.
What a contrastbetweenthe glory above the heavens, and the mouths of
babes and sucklings!yet by both the name of God is made excellent.
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Verse 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength,
etc. In a prophetical manner, speaking ofthat which was to be done by

children many hundreds of years after, for the asserting ofhis infinite mercy
in sending his SonJesus Christ into the world to save us from our sins. Forso
the Lord applies their crying, "Hosannahto the Son of David" in the temple.
And thus both Basiland other ancients, and some new writers also
understand it. But Calvin will have it meant of God's wonderful providing for
them, by turning their mother's blood into milk, and giving them the faculty
to suck, thus nourishing and preserving them, which sufficiently convinceth
all gainsayers ofGod's wonderful providence toward the weakestandshiftless
of all creatures. JohnMayer, 1653.
Verse 2. Who are these babes and sucklings?
Man in general, who springeth from so weak and poor a beginning as that of
babes and sucklings, yet is at length advanced to such power as to grapple
with, and overcome the enemy and the avenger.
David in particular, who being but a ruddy youth, God used him as an
instrument to discomfit Goliath of Gath.
More especiallyour Lord Jesus Christ, who assuming our nature and all the
sinless infirmities of it, and submitting to the weaknessofan infant, and after
dying is gone in the same nature to reign in heaven, till he hath brought all his
enemies under his feet. Psalms 110:1 and 1 Corinthians 15:27 . Then was our
human nature exalted above all other creatures, whenthe Son of God was
made of a woman, carried in the womb.
The apostles, who to outward appearance were despicable,in a manner
children and sucklings in comparison of the greatones of the world; poor
despisedcreatures, yet principal instruments of God's service and glory.
Therefore it is notable, that when Christ glorifieth his Fatherfor the wise and
free dispensationof his saving grace (Mt 11:25), he saith, "I thank thee, O
Father, Lord of heavenand earth, because thou hast hid these things from the
wise and prudent, and hast revealedthem unto babes," so calledfrom the
meanness of their condition... And you shall see it was spokenwhen the
disciples were sent abroad and had power given them over unclean spirits. "In

that hour Jesus rejoicedin spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of
heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
and hast revealedthem unto babes." This he acknowledgedto be an act of
infinite condescensionin God.
Those children that cried Hosannah to Christ, make up part of the sense, for
Christ defends their practise by this Scripture...
Not only the apostles, but all those that fight under Christ's banner, and are
listed into his confederacy, maybe calledbabes and sucklings;first, because
of their condition; secondly, their disposition...
Becauseoftheir condition... God in the government of the world is pleasedto
subdue the enemies of his kingdom by weak and despisedinstruments.
Becauseoftheir disposition: they are most humbly spirited. We are told (Mt
18:3), "Exceptye be converted and become as little children," etc. As if he had
said, you strive for preeminence and worldly greatness in my kingdom; I tell
you my kingdom is a kingdom of babes, and containeth none but the humble,
and such as are little in their own eyes, and are contentedto be small and
despisedin the eyes of others, and so do not seek aftergreatmatters in the
world. A young child knowethnot what striving or state meaneth, and
therefore by an emblem and visible representationof a child set in the midst
of them, Christ would take them off from the expectationof a carnal kingdom.
Thomas Manton, 1620-1677.
Verse 2. That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. This very
confusionand revenge upon Satan, who was the cause ofman's fall, was
aimed at by God at first; therefore is the first promise and preaching of the
gospelto Adam brought in rather in sentencing him than in speaking to
Adam, that the seedof the woman should break the serpent's head, it being in
God's aim as much to confound him as to save poor man. Thomas Goodwin.
Verse 2. The work that is done in love loses half its tedium and difficulty. It is
as with a stone, which in the air and on the dry ground we strain at but cannot
stir. Flood the field where it lies, bury the block beneath the rising water;and
now, when its head is submerged, bend to the work. Put your strength to it.

Ah! it moves, rises from its bed, rolls on before your arm. So, when under the
heavenly influences of grace the tide of love rises, and goes swelling overour
duties and difficulties, a child cando a man's work, and a man cando a
giant's. Let love be present in the heart, and out of the mouths of babes and
sucklings Godordaineth strength. Thomas Guthrie, D.D.
Verse 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, etc. That poor martyr, Alice
Driver, in the presence ofmany hundreds, did so silence Popishbishops, that
she and all blessedGodthat the proudest of them could not resistthe spirit in
a silly woman; so I say to thee, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings"
God will be honoured. Even thou, silly worm, shalt honour him, when it shall
appear what God hath done for thee, what lusts he hath mortified, and what
graces he hath granted thee. The Lord can yet do greaterthings for thee if
thou wilt trust him. He cancarry thee upon eagles'wings, enable thee to bear
and suffer strong affliction for him, to persevere to the end, to live by faith,
and to finish thy course with joy. Oh! in that he hath made thee low in heart,
thy other lowness shallbe so much the more honour to thee. Do not all as
much and more wonder at God's rare workmanshipin the ant, the poorest
bug that creeps, as in the biggestelephant? That so many parts and limbs
should be united in such a little space;that so poor a creature should provide
in the summer time her winter's food? Who sees notas much of God in a bee
as in a greatercreature? Alas!in a greatbody we look for greatabilities and
wonder not. Therefore, to conclude, seeing Godhath clothed the uncomely
parts with the more honour, bless God, and bear thy baseness more equally;
thy greatestgloryis yet to come, that when the wise of the world have rejected
the counselof God, thou hast (with those poor publicans and soldiers),
magnified the ministry of the gospel. Surely the Lord will also be admired in
thee ( 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 ), a poor silly creature, that even thou wert made
wise to salvationand believestin that day. Be still poor in thine own eyes, and
the Lord will make thy proudest scornful enemies to worship at thy feet, to
confess Godhath done much for thee, and wish thy portion when God shall
visit them. DanielRogers, 1642.
HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 2. Infant piety, its possibility, potency, strength, and influence, that thou
mightest still, etc.
The strength of the gospelnot the result of eloquence or wisdom in the
speaker.
Greatresults from small causes whenthe Lord ordains to work. Greatthings
which can be said and claimed by babes in grace. The stilling of the powers of
evil by the testimony of feeble believers. The stilling of the GreatEnemy by
the conquests ofgrace.
What does Psalm 8:2 mean?
God is so strong and greatthat He can derive praise even from infants and
children. Jesus referredto this verse after He cleansedthe temple (Matthew
21:16). The cries of babies—here more generallymeaning children—and
those still being weanedcan bring down the enemy. Perhaps David had in
mind the cry of baby Moses, whenPharaoh's daughter retrieved him from the
reeds of the Nile. Exodus 2:6 tells us that when she openedthe basket, "she
saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying." It was this same child who
grew to manhood and was used of God to stand before Pharaoh, the Hebrew's
enemy, and command him to let the Hebrews go from Egypt and their slavery
there.
God often chooses"whatis weak in the world to shame the strong" (1
Corinthians 1:27). Paul echoes some ofthe same themes in his secondletter to
the Corinthians. There, he explains how God places His powerful gospelin
fragile, limited vessels,for His own glory (2 Corinthians 4:7).
https://www.bibleref.com/Psalms/8/Psalm-8-2.html

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?
Psalms 8:1
Psalm8:1-4
Modern translations replace "excellent" with terms like "glorious,""great,"
or "majestic." The glory of God is revealedin His creation. One of His names,
of course, is Creator. The psalmist sees the starry heavens stretchedabove
him as an awesome andspectacularshowcaseofthe majestic powerof God.
The Soncino Commentary translates the secondphrase of the first verse as,
"Whose majestyis rehearsedabove the heavens." The author comments,
"The psalmist is saying that day after day man has the awesome splendorof
God's power displayed before him." Thus, God has invested the heavens with
glorious splendor to direct the mind of man to the Creator's majesty. This
idea accepts thatHe is greaterthan even His creationdemonstrates.
What excellence orglory do we see in the earth and sky? Do we consciously
realize that a creator, any creator, is greaterthan what he creates, anddo we
then apply that inference to God? Do we see in it our holy Creator's power,
order, beauty, loving providence, wisdom, reason, logic, andvastness of
thought? Some measure of this will occur if we make the effort to seek Him.
God intends this psalm to direct our thinking toward His greatnessand puny
man's insignificance. Yet, that majestic, awesome Godis glorifying Himself in
man by creating in him the desire to be like Him! He has chosenwhat is weak
and foolish—evenby the world's standards—to appreciateand respectHis
glory, His name. Rightly understood, this is a truly humbling meditation.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Third Commandment

RelatedTopics:God's Excellence | God's Glory | God's Greatness | God's
Majesty| God's Mind | God's Name | God's Name, Hallowing | God's Name,
Honoring | God's Power| God's Splendor | Hallowing God's Name | Honoring
God's Name | Magnifying God's Name | Man's Insignificance | Meditating on
God's Name | Meditation | Meditation on God's Creation| The Third
Commandment | Third Commandment
Psalm8:1-4
Other translations use words like "glorious," "majestic,"and "to be
admired" rather than "excellent" to express the feelings generatedby
meditating on how God is revealedby the heavens He created!The starry
heavens stretchedbefore David showcasethe awesome andspectacular
majesty of God.
Commenting on verse 1, the Soncino Commentary says that God's majesty is
"rehearsedabove the heavens." Rehearsecanmean "to repeat" or "tell in
detail." David tells us that God has invested the heavens with awesome
splendor to direct man's mind to ponder the Creator's existence,majesty, and
excellence. This thought also implies that He is just as majestic in
demonstrating Himself on earth as He is in the heavens. What excellence do
we see in earth and heaven? Power, order, beauty, loving providence, wisdom,
reason, logic, and vastness ofthinking.
David intended this psalm to direct our thinking toward God's greatness and
puny man's insignificance. However, that awesome, majestic, glorious Godis
glorifying Himself in man! He has chosenwhat the world considers weakand
foolish—us—to appreciateand respectHis glory, His name.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The PeculiarMark of Majesty, Part 1
Palm Sunday
Resource by John Piper
Scripture: Psalm8 Topic: The Glory of God
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 establishedstrength because ofyour 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 lowerthan the heavenly beings and crownedhim 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 sheepand oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whateverpassesalong the
paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the
earth!
Palm Sunday gives us a very fitting opportunity to talk about one of the main
marks of the majesty of God, because this mark of God’s majestyis revealed
most beautifully and compellingly in the God-man Jesus Christ during the last
week ofhis life on earth, and in an unusual way on that first day of Triumphal
Entry. And this mark of God’s majestybecomes eventually the means of our
own salvationand a picture of what true Christianity should be like—whatwe
should be like.
Palm Sunday and the Majestyof Christ

Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easterand is the day we celebrate the
Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalemat the end of his earthly life. We will
look at it in a few minutes in Matthew’s Gospel. But before we do that, I want
us to understand some things from Psalm 8. The reasonI want us to go to
Psalm8 is that Jesus quotes this psalm during the Triumphal Entry. And the
way he quotes it has huge implications for his own majesty.
That’s the main thing I want us to see today—the majesty of God, the majesty
of Christ, and the implication for our lives. And specificallyI want us to see
the one crucial mark of God’s majesty that Psalm 8 emphasizes and that Jesus
focuses onin his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalemon his way to be crucified.
The Majestic Name ofYahweh
So please turn with me to Psalm 8. The psalm begins and ends with its main
point. Verse 1: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the
earth!” Verse 9: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the
earth.” The two words for lord (O LORD, our Lord) are not the same in
Hebrew. The first one, with all caps, is a translation of the name Yahweh—not
a generic name for God, but the personalname of Israel’s God built on the
statementin Exodus 3:14, “I am who I am.” God named himself Yahweh, that
is, the absolutely existing one—the one who simply is, who did not come into
being, and does not go out of being, and never changes in his being, because he
is absolute being. He depends on nothing for his being and all else depends on
him.
This name is majestic in all the earth. “O Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is
your name—Yahweh, the absolutelyexisting one—in all the earth.” There is
no place in all the earth where God is not Yahweh—where he is not the
absolute one. Everywhere everything depends absolutely on him. He has no
viable competitors anywhere. He is above all things everywhere. He sustains
all things everywhere. He is the ground and goalof all things everywhere. He
is greaterand wiserand more beautiful and wonderful than everything
everywhere. “O Yahweh, our Lord (our Master, our King, our Ruler), how

majestic is your name in all the earth.” That’s the main point of the psalm.
And the aim is that we stand in awe of him and worship.
Now that is the main point, but betweenverses 1 and 9, David wants us to see
a very peculiar mark of his majesty. The peculiar mark of this majestyis seen
in the way God relates first to children and secondto humans in general. Let’s
look at these two relationships.
God Defeats His Enemies Through the WeaknessofBabies
First, contrastverse 1b and verse 2. Verse 1b: “You have setyour glory above
the heavens.”1Verse 2:“Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have
establishedstrength because ofyour foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.”
In verse 1b, we see God’s glory exalted to the highest. He is the greatestofall
beings. None could be stronger, wiser, greater. But in verse 2, we see babies.
And the contrast is stark. Babies are weak;they seemto have no wisdom or
knowledge. Theyare utterly dependent on others. They are insignificant in the
world’s eyes.
So why are they here? What are they doing? Well, it’s clearwhat they are
doing: They are defeating the enemies of God. They are opening their mouths
and saying or crying something. And whatever they are saying or crying is
powerful enough to still the enemy and the avenger: “Out of the mouth of
babies and infants, you [God] have establishedstrength.” God is making what
comes out of their mouths strong. Whatever it is that is coming out of their
mouths, it is subduing the enemies of God. “Out of the mouth of babies and
infants, you have establishedstrength because ofyour foes, to still the enemy
and the avenger.”
So the mark of the majesty of God that David wants us to see is that God, in
his majestyand greatness, stoops to make babies the means of his majestic
triumphs. Let the strangeness ofthis sink in. Verse 2 says that God has foes.
You see that near the middle of the verse: “. . . because ofyour foes.” But God
is God. When God has a foe, this is not a problem for him; he is God. He
simply snuffs him out if he wants to. God can make anything he chooses

simply go out of existence. Butinstead, God choosesto defeathis enemies with
babies. And not just with babies, but with what babies say: “Out of the mouth
of babies and infants, you have establishedstrength because ofyour foes, still
the enemy.”
So there it is. The peculiar mark of God’s majesty is not just that he stoops to
listen to or take thought of or care for infants, but that he makes them the
means of his triumphs. God conquers his foes through the weaknesses ofthe
weak—the speechof babies. When you think of God as a warrior, remember:
He wins with weakness.
God Rules His Universe Through the WeaknessofMen
Now considerthe secondcontrastin verses 3-8. In verses 3-4, David describes
God as the majestic Creatorwho makes stars with his fingers. “When I look
at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you
have setin place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man
that you care for him?” The point of these two verses is that God is infinitely
great, and man, by comparison, is nothing. “What is man, that you care for
him?” You create stars with your fingers. Man is infinitesimally small
compared to Earth, not to mention a star, not to mention billions of stars. So
just as with the contrastbetweenGod and children, the distance betweenGod
and man is infinitely great.
So what is this tiny, seeminglyinsignificant man doing here? Why does he
even come up in a psalm that begins and ends with, “O Lord, our Lord, how
majestic is your name in all the earth!”? The answeris that he is here to take
dominion over the works of God’s hands. Verse 6: “You [O God] have given
him dominion over the works ofyour hands; you have put all things under his
feet.” Now that is absolutelyastonishing. Man is like a baby. He is as nothing
compared to God. And compared to the works ofGod’s fingers man is
infinitesimally small.
But just as God uses children to defeathis foes. He uses man to rule his
glorious creation. Let’s read verse 5-8 to see the full weight of this:

Out of the mouth of babes

Recommandé

Recommandé

Contenu connexe

Tendances

Tendances (19)

Similaire à Out of the mouth of babes

Similaire à Out of the mouth of babes (20)

Plus de GLENN PEASE

Plus de GLENN PEASE (20)

Dernier

Dernier (20)

Out of the mouth of babes