Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:5 (AMPC)
Today’s verse says God made mankind a little lower than Himself. In some translations, it says we were made a little lower than the angels. But the word angels was translated from the Hebrew word Elohim, which is the very same word used in Genesis 1:1, In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.
Here God is saying we were created a little lower than Him, not angels. According to Hebrews 1:14, angels are our servants, commissioned to protect and minister to us.
Not only did God create us to be just a little lower than Him, but He also crowned us with glory and honour. You have dignity and worth in His eyes. Do you realize it?
God made the earth for mankind. He decorated it with gorgeous plants and scenery, but it’s all for His crowning creation: mankind. God gave us dominion over animals, and we are to take care of them—but we’re not one of them. We are not just some evolved breed of chimpanzees, even though our DNA is similar. In fact, our DNA could be identical and it wouldn’t make one bit of difference. We are who we are because we have a spirit within us! That’s the real you! Your body is just your earth-suit, designed to house your spirit.
When we begin to believe that we’re just one of the animals, only a few percent away from the DNA of a chimpanzee, evolved from single celled organisms over millions of years, it destroys our sense of self-worth.
We were created magnificently and intentionally. We are loved infinitely and we have purpose!