The question first belonged to David, who asked it in wonder before God (Psalm 8:1, 4). Measured against God's glory, man seems small, yet God remembers him and visits him. The writer of Hebrews quotes it because the psalm goes on to say that God set man "over the works of thy hands" and put "all things in subjection under his feet" (Hebrews 2:7-8). That is his point: the world to come is placed under man, not under angels. Gill explains why the writer says only "one in a certain place": "the apostle is writing to Jews, who were conversant with the Scriptures, and knew full well who said the words, and where they were."

The psalm answers its own question: "Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour" (Hebrews 2:7), and "Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet" (Hebrews 2:8). Then the writer adds an honest observation: "But now we see not yet all things put under him" (Hebrews 2:8). His final answer points to one Man: "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour" (Hebrews 2:9).

The quotation comes from Psalm 8:4-6, which Gill identifies as David's ("he is the penman of the psalm"). The Greek word behind "testified" is diamarturomai, to testify solemnly, and the word for "in a certain place" is pou, somewhere. Leaving the source unnamed was not vagueness: Gill says it was "not through ignorance" but because the readers knew the passage well. The verb "visitest" (episkeptomai) means to look upon or look after, which is why the ESV renders it "care for."

This question reveals God's surprising attention. The God whose glory is "above the heavens" (Psalm 8:1) stoops to remember and care for people. Barnes suggests the writer's argument "seems to be" that this dominion was first given to man but is found complete only in Christ, while Gill applies the psalm to Christ rather than to mankind in general. Both readings meet in Hebrews 2:8-9. God's purpose was for man to rule over His works, but we do not yet see that. What we do see is Jesus, who shared our lowliness, suffered death, and is now crowned with glory and honour.

So the psalm's question finds its fullest answer in Him. God's purpose is "bringing many sons unto glory," and He made Jesus, "the captain of their salvation," perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:10). On Barnes' reading, God's care for mankind is not only that He made man great, but that the dominion man has "in some measure lost" is found complete in His Son.