"For I will behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers." Rabbi Ibbo said there are three opinions: One says, "If He had created me only to contemplate the heavens and the earth and the constellations, it would have been sufficient for me," as it is said, "For I will behold Your heavens." The second says, "Whatever I have to give for the future, let me give it now." And the third, of lazy workers, says, "Give us what our fathers had." This is the meaning of "the work of Your fingers."
What is man, that You should remember him? Rabbi Berechiah said, when God created the world, He wished to show the angels the praise of the righteous. They said to Him, "What is man?" Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said, because God says to them, "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" The upper and lower beings have nothing but the use of their fingers. "What is man?" This is Abraham, as it says, "And God remembered Abraham." And "son of man" is Isaac, as it says, "And the Lord remembered Sarah." And "little less than the angels" is Jacob, as it says, "And the flocks were heated with Jacob." This teaches that he was only lacking in giving his soul for them. And it says, "And he wrestled with an angel and prevailed; he wept and besought him." This is Moses, as it says, "And Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone." "Thou shalt rule over the work of Thy hands." This is Joshua, who said, "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon." "All that tread upon him shall be put to death." This is David, as all his enemies fell before him, as it says, "And I have smitten them as small as the dust of the earth." "And he spoke of trees." This is Solomon. And "with the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps." This is Samson. Rabbi Huna bar Pappa said he showed them that Samson, when he caught three hundred foxes. Rabbi Simon said: Show them Daniel, who descended into the lions' den and sat on their necks without being harmed. The birds of the air refer to Elijah, who travels around the world like a bird, as it is said, "And the ravens brought him bread and meat" (1 Kings 17:6). The fish of the sea refers to Jonah, as it is said, "And Jonah was in the belly of the fish" (Jonah 2:1). The "crossing of the sea" refers to the Israelites, as it is said, "The children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea" (Exodus 14:29). The angels said, "O Lord our God, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! Your glory is above the heavens!" (Psalms 8:1)