B-Hebrew: The Biblical Hebrew Forum

Who are elohim in Ps 8:5 & 138:1?

That which is higher up, על AL, is אֵל EL.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

Steve,

I think that G-d made man a little lower than either "G-d" or "gods" because He let them rule over G-d's creation in Psalm 8:7-9. Just because the psalm writer says man is a little lower than gods does not have to mean that the writer believes other gods exist. He made people to rule over His creation like they were gods, sort of.

In Psalm 138:4-5, the writer mentions kings hearing things that G-d said, which I assume the writer told them. Maybe those kings had idols around, but the writer sang G-d's praises in front of them anyway. Psalm 138:1 could mean that he sang about G-d even when he spoke to kings in front of their idols. It is possible.

Steve,

It is also possible that in Psalm 138 the kings are also considered gods besides having idols. Some kings were considered to be gods, so that could be how David or whoever wrote the psalm sang about G-d before gods. The gods would not be literal gods.

Kenneth Greifer wrote:Steve,

I think that G-d made man a little lower than either "G-d" or "gods" because He let them rule over G-d's creation in Psalm 8:7-9.

Kenneth,
Ps 8:5 does not refer to God's creation of man in Gen 1-2.
It refers to man losing eternal life in Gen 3.
The Hebrew verb for "made lower" means caused to lack, or lowered. Man was at a certain state and then God lowered him.
Man was made to live forever, but God lowered him a little below "gods" when He made him subject to death.
Man is not a "little lower than God", there is an infinite distance of level between God the Creator and man a creation.

Kenneth Greifer wrote: Just because the psalm writer says man is a little lower than gods does not have to mean that the writer believes other gods exist. He made people to rule over His creation like they were gods, sort of.

Angels do exist and they do not die. They fit here. They are called 'sons of elohim' in Job 38:7 and 'sons of the elohim' in Job 1:6 & 2:1. Why not angels?

Kenneth Greifer wrote: In Psalm 138:4-5, the writer mentions kings hearing things that G-d said, which I assume the writer told them. Maybe those kings had idols around, but the writer sang G-d's praises in front of them anyway. Psalm 138:1 could mean that he sang about G-d even when he spoke to kings in front of their idols. It is possible.

could be. Do you not believe the Psalm heading that says the Psalm is through David?

Steve,

Man was not created immortal or they would not have had to eat from the tree of life to live forever.

Man's original immortality was not an immortality independent of God, but dependent upon the tree of life. There is nothing wrong with that.