Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
A little - or ['Aleph (')] (Hosea 1:4), 'for a little time.' Paul's scope is to show Jesus, the Son of man, by whom the Gospel comes, is superior to the angels, by whom the law was spoken. But it may be objected, Christ was mortal and suffered. True, answers Paul, but that was only 'for a little time,' because our salvation required it. So х brachu (G1024) ti (G5100)] Acts 5:24. 'Hours on the cross, days of sufferings, years of toil, how little are they all compared with eternity!' (Bengel.)
Than the angels - `than God х 'Elohiym (H430)]; i:e., God's abstract qualities, such as angels possess in an inferior form-namely, heavenly, spiritual, incorporeal natures. Man, made for a little lower than angels, has an universal dominion ultimately awaiting him in the man Jesus, Lord of angels.
Crownedst him with glory and honour - as the kingly vice-gerent of God over this earth (Genesis 1:1-31; Genesis 2:1-25; Daniel 7:27; Revelation 5:10).
And didst set him over the works of thy hands. Omitted in B Delta; but read by 'Aleph (') A C f, Vulgate: so Psalms 8:6,