Terror and Wonder

From Psalm 8:
³When 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?
 ⁵Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
   and crowned him with glory and honor.⁶You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
    you have put all things under his feet,⁷all sheep and oxen,
   and also the beasts of the field,⁸the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
   whatever passes along the paths of the seas.


My pastor, Bill Kittrell, preached from this Psalm this Sunday past.  He explained how this should cause us to have wonder, and that is definitely the purpose of this text.  But I wanted to consider use set this text against some other ones to help us better see.

Let us turn to the book of Job, chapter 38:

¹Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
 ²"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? ³ Dress for action like a man;
   I will question you, and you make it known to me.
 ⁴"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
   Tell me, if you have understanding.⁵Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
   Or who stretched the line upon it?⁶On what were its bases sunk,
   or who laid its cornerstone,⁷when the morning stars sang together
   and all the sons of God shouted for joy?


We see two different sides of this same wonder here don't we.  Both point to God's greatness, but one in his power and authority and the other in his graciousness toward us.  This same God who can overwhelm us with his power and authority, can also astound us with his grace toward man.  What a God it is that we serve.  May we ever be both in fear of our God's power but also in wonder at his kindness.  He is a great and awesome and gracious and kind God whom we serve.