Psalm 8 2

Psalm 8:2 kjv

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.

Psalm 8:2 nkjv

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

Psalm 8:2 niv

Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

Psalm 8:2 esv

Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.

Psalm 8:2 nlt

You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you.

Psalm 8 verses

Psalm 8 2 Meaning

Psalm 8:2 reveals a profound paradox of divine power: God ordains and establishes His unshakeable strength not through mighty human institutions or grand displays of force, but through the seemingly weakest and most innocent of creation – babies and infants. This strength, manifesting as a declaration of God's glory and wisdom, serves a critical purpose: to silence His adversaries, confound His enemies, and bring to an end the schemes of those who oppose His sovereign will. It showcases God's counter-intuitive methods to manifest His supremacy over all creation and human rebellion.

Psalm 8 2 Context

Psalm 8 is a majestic hymn of praise celebrating God's glorious name displayed throughout creation and, surprisingly, His magnificent dealings with humanity. It opens by declaring God's matchless majesty "above the heavens" (v. 1). Verse 2 then presents a counter-intuitive expression of this divine strength through the mouths of the most vulnerable. This sets the stage for the rest of the Psalm, which marvels at God's astonishing condescension to crown humanity with glory and honor, giving them dominion over His creation, despite their apparent insignificance (vv. 4-8). The Psalm concludes by reiterating God's glorious name over all the earth (v. 9), bookending the theme of divine majesty with the awe-inspiring reality of His interaction with His creation and people. Historically, this psalm reflects ancient Israelite wisdom and praise, contemplating God's sovereignty over a world often filled with oppressive empires and seemingly insurmountable foes, and finding solace in God's paradoxical might.

Psalm 8 2 Word analysis

Word-by-word analysis

• Out of the mouth (מִפִּי - miph·pî): This Hebrew phrase literally means "from the mouth of." It denotes origin and expression. Here, it suggests that the praise or proclamation of God's strength emerges from the babies, not necessarily their intellectual understanding or complex speech, but their very being, their innocence, their dependency, and their simple cries. It can signify spontaneous utterance, an intuitive recognition, or simply their existence being a testimony.
• babies (עֹֽולְלִים - ‘ō·wlĕ·lîm): This term refers to infants, particularly those being weaned or nursed, very young children who are utterly dependent. It signifies extreme vulnerability and lack of power by human standards. Their capacity for formal "speech" is minimal.
• and infants (וְיֹֽנְקִים - wĕ·yō·nĕ·qîm): This Hebrew word denotes "sucklings" or "nurslings," children still dependent on their mothers for sustenance. Its use alongside ‘ō·wlĕ·lîm intensifies the imagery of profound weakness and helplessness. The parallelism emphasizes the youth and powerlessness.
• you have established (יִסַּדְתָּ - yis·saḏ·tā): From the root yasad, meaning "to lay a foundation," "to found," "to fix," "to ordain," or "to appoint." This highlights God's deliberate, sovereign act. The strength isn't inherent to the babies; God establishes it through them. It implies a firm, unshakeable foundation that God Himself lays.
• strength (עֹז - ‘ōz): This Hebrew term denotes might, power, vigor, stronghold, or fortress. It's the same word often used for God's divine power or a secure refuge. Its application in this context underscores that what is established through these vulnerable beings is true, unassailable divine power.
• because of (מַעַן - ma·‘an): This preposition indicates purpose, reason, or "for the sake of." It clarifies that God's action in establishing strength through infants has a direct object: His adversaries.
• your foes (צֹֽורְרֶ֑יךָ - ṣō·wrĕ·rey·ḵā): From tsarar, meaning to "hem in," "be an adversary," "distress." These are God's persistent enemies, His oppressors, those who oppose Him and His people. This includes both human and spiritual antagonists.
• to still (לְהַשְׁבִּ֥ית - lə·haš·bîṯ): From the root shavat, meaning "to cease," "to stop," "to put an end to," "to make to be quiet." In a hostile context, it means to suppress, silence, bring to nothing, or defeat decisively. It implies the utter cessation of their activities and threats.
• the enemy (אֹויֵ֥ב - ’ō·w·yêḇ): A common Hebrew word for "enemy," someone who hates and shows hostility.
• and the avenger (וּמִתְנַקֵּֽם׃ - ū·miṯ·naq·qêm): From naqam, meaning "to take revenge," "to avenge." This specific type of enemy is one who seeks retaliation or harm, perhaps with cunning or premeditation. It often refers to one who harbors deep-seated enmity and desires to inflict punishment.

Words-group analysis

• "Out of the mouth of babies and infants": This phrase dramatically sets up the contrast between the source of "strength" and its actual power. It challenges human assumptions about where true strength resides. It can be interpreted as their pure, guileless praise, or the profound theological implications of God sustaining such delicate life, demonstrating His wisdom and care for the weakest. It also finds a Messianic application in the New Testament (Mt 21:16), indicating that the humble and even voiceless (by human standards) are capable of offering genuine praise to God.
• "you have established strength": This underscores the divine origin of the power. It is not an inherent strength of the children but a sovereign act of God. The "strength" (‘ōz) implies foundational might, a truth that serves as a bulwark against evil. It points to a wisdom or revelation that, through its simple, innocent nature, carries an extraordinary, God-ordained authority.
• "because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger": This clause reveals the strategic purpose of this seemingly unconventional divine action. The "strength" is a weapon or a shield against God's adversaries. It humiliates the proud and powerful who rely on their own might, by demonstrating God's capacity to render them powerless through unexpected means. The specific mention of "avenger" points to the malicious intent of God's enemies, who are utterly disarmed by God's wisdom displayed in surprising ways.

Psalm 8 2 Bonus Section

• Polemics against Contemporary Beliefs: In the ancient Near East, power was often equated with physical strength, military might, or the grandeur of kings and gods represented by massive structures or fierce warriors. This verse would have been a direct challenge (polemic) to such ideologies, asserting that Yahweh's power operates on a fundamentally different, counter-intuitive plane, capable of subduing powerful adversaries through apparent insignificance. It elevates divine wisdom over worldly might.
• The "Strength" as Revelation: The "strength" established through infants can also be understood as the revelation of God's wisdom. A baby's very dependence demonstrates the perfection of God's design and providence, shaming the self-sufficient. Their unadulterated praise, or even just their being a gift of God, reflects God's glory in a pure form, exposing the folly of those who deny Him.
• Significance of the "Avenger": The "avenger" (mitnakēm) implies someone acting out of spite, deep-seated grievance, or a desire for retaliation against God or His people. This can refer to oppressive nations, evil individuals, or ultimately, spiritual forces like Satan, who constantly seeks to accuse and destroy. The fact that their vengeance is "stilled" by such a means is a powerful statement of God's comprehensive triumph.

Psalm 8 2 Commentary

Psalm 8:2 encapsulates a core biblical truth: God's power is often displayed through weakness, confounding human expectations and earthly wisdom. The "strength" established through infants is not a physical might or eloquent argument, but rather a profound manifestation of God's nature, wisdom, and sovereign control. Their existence, vulnerability, and spontaneous simple sounds (interpreted as praise by Jesus in Matt 21:16) testify to God's glorious sustenance and the order of His creation. This pure, unadulterated acknowledgment of God contrasts sharply with the proud self-sufficiency of His adversaries. God uses this seeming fragility as a formidable bulwark that silences those who revile Him, scheme against His purposes, or seek vengeance upon His people.

This principle is seen repeatedly throughout Scripture: God choosing Noah, an ordinary man, to preserve humanity; Moses, a hesitant speaker, to confront Pharaoh; David, a young shepherd, to defeat Goliath; and ultimately, Christ, who came not in worldly splendor but in humble form, becoming dependent like a "babe" (Phil 2:6-8) to defeat the ultimate enemy, Satan (Col 2:15). The "stillness" achieved is not just external quiet, but a crushing of hostile schemes and a divine demonstration that their power is nullified in the face of God's wisdom and sovereign ordering of all things, even through the simplest elements of His creation.