In these three verses the psalmist lists “all creation” (Good News Translation) over which God has placed humankind as ruler. The works of thy hands is a way of saying “the things that you made” (see “the work of thy fingers” in verse 3). “To put under the feet of” means “to make (someone) a ruler, to place under his dominion.” Thou hast given him dominion over the works of thy hands must often be recast as two verb phrases; for example, “You have put him in charge and made him to rule over all you created.”

Verse 6b is cited in 1 Corinthians 15.27.

The psalmist is thinking primarily of the animals, and so by the usual classification he lists them all: (1) domestic animals, sheep and oxen (or “cattle,” Good News Translation); (2) wild animals, literally the beasts of the field; (3) wild birds; (4) marine life, the fish of the sea, including (5) the sea monsters (verse 8b; see Gen 1.21), which were classified separately from ordinary fish (see Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “the fish and monsters in the sea”). Many translations, however, take whatever passes along the paths of the sea to be only a more inclusive statement about all marine creatures.

Some languages do not have general terms for certain classes of animals. As there is no symbolic value attached to sheep or cattle here, an expression for any or all domestic animals may be used. Beasts of the field are sometimes referred to as “forest animals” or “bush animals” in contrast to “village animals.” Of the sea as attributive to the fish may have to be recast in many languages where the seas are unknown. Hence one must often say “the big fish from the big rivers” or “big animals that live in the big waters.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .