Psalm 8:2

Psalm 8:2

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.

a. ASV: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou established strength, Because of thine adversaries, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

b. YLT: From the mouths of infants and sucklings Thou hast founded strength, Because of Thine adversaries, To still an enemy and a self-avenger.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: Out of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have established strength because of Your foes, that You might silence the enemy and the avenger.

d. Septuagint [Psalm 8:2 in our Bible is Psalm 8:3 in the Septuagint]: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise, because of thine enemies; that thou mightest put down the enemy and avenger.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings [Psalm 8:2 in our Bible is Psalm 8:3 in the Jewish Bible]: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings You have established strength, because of Your enemies to silence foe and avenger.

1. “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength…”

a. [Out of the] mouth [Strong: 6310 peh, peh; from H6284; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to:—accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), × eat, edge, end, entry, file, hole, × in, mind, mouth, part, portion, × (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, × spoken, talk, tenor, × to, two-edged, wish, word.]

b. [of] babes [Strong: 5768 ʻôwlêl, o-lale'; or עֹלָל ʻôlâl; from H5763; a suckling:—babe, (young) child, infant, little one.]

c. [and] sucklings [Strong: 3243 yânaq, yaw-nak'; a primitive root; to suck; causatively, to give milk:—milch, nurse(-ing mother), (give, make to) suck(-ing child, -ling).]

d. [you have] ordained [Strong: 3245 yâçad, yaw-sad'; a primitive root; to set (literally or figuratively); intensively, to found; reflexively, to sit down together, i.e. settle, consult:—appoint, take counsel, establish, (lay the, lay for a) found(-ation), instruct, lay, ordain, set, × sure.] [[Gesenius: to found, fix, establish, lay foundation, to found, establish, begin to fix or seat themselves close together, sit in conclave, to be founded, to found, to establish, appoint, ordain, to be founded, be laid, to be founded.]

e. strength [Strong: 5797 ʻôz, oze; or (fully) עוֹז ʻôwz; from H5810; strength in various applications (force, security, majesty, praise):—boldness, loud, might, power, strength, strong.] Gesenius: might, strength, material or physical, personal or social or political.]

1). Clearly what is being stated here is a foundational principle concerning strength, power, and might. Jesus commented on this when the scribes and Pharisees were upset with the children praising him and addressing his as the son of David.

a). Matthew 21:15, 16 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

21:16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

2). Praise is a vehicle of power, strength and might that we must use against our adversary.

2. “…because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.”

a. because [Strong: 4616 4616 ma`an mah'-an from 6030; properly, heed, i.e. purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that:--because of, to the end (intent) that, for (to,... 's sake), + lest, that, to.]

b. [of thine] enemies [Strong: 6887 tsârar, tsaw-rar'; a primitive root; to cramp, literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive:—adversary, (be in) afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait (trouble), vex.

c. [that thou mightest] still [Strong: 7673  shâbath, shaw-bath'; a primitive root; to repose, i.e. desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific):—(cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away.] [Gesenius: to cease, desist, rest to cease, to rest, desist (from labour), to cease, to cause to cease, put an end to, to exterminate, destroy, to cause to desist from, to remove, to cause to fail, to keep or observe the Sabbath.]

d. [the] enemy [Strong: 341   ʼôyêb, o-yabe'; or (fully) אוֹיֵב ʼôwyêb; active participle of H340; hating; an adversary:—enemy, foe.]

e. [and the] avenger [Strong: 5358 nâqam, naw-kam'; a primitive root; to grudge, i.e. avenge or punish:—avenge(-r, self), punish, revenge (self), × surely, take vengeance.]

1). The foundational principle in this is praise is the vehicle of strength that causes the enemy to fail.