“Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” -Psalm 8:5
God’s creation of man is revealed to be one of dignity and power. He is crowned with glory and honor, made a little lower than elohim (translated heavenly beings here and angels in the LXX and AV). Man was created in the image of God (imago Dei) to be His representative on earth, above the animals but under God. This is a special privilege that comes with a great amount of responsibility.
At this task man immediately failed. The first Adam marred man’s dignity and honor. So the second Adam (Jesus Christ) has restored it. The writer of Hebrews draws from this passage to contrast man’s fallen state with his exalt destiny as seen in Jesus Christ.
“It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” -Hebrews 2:6–8