Psalm 19: The heavens tell of God’s Glory
In Psalm 19, the poet compares the silent telling of God’s story in the heavens with the written Word of God.
They both tell the same story and point the readers to the same message/messenger.
God is the Author and the finisher of our life and our life’s journey. Without him in the beginning, we don’t have a start and without him in the end, our story reads like a tragedy.
Please enjoy this beautiful Psalm and the various comments from respected scholars.
Psalm 19:1 The heavens tell the story of God’s Glory — Are we listening?
For the choir director. A Psalm of David. “The heavens are telling of the glory of God, And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(1) The heavens declare.–Better, the heavens are telling. The poet is even now gazing at the sky, not philosophizing on a familiar natural phenomenon, nor is he merely enjoying the beauty. Not only is his aesthetic faculty satisfied, but his spirit, his religious nature is moved. He has an immediate apprehension, an intuition of God. He is looking on the freshness of the morning, and all he sees is telling of God, bringing God before him. This constitutes the essence of the greater part of Hebrew poetry.
Psalm 19:2 Daily they speak, nightly they give knowledge.
“Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge.”
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 2. – Day unto day uttereth speech; literally, poureth out speech, as water is poured from a fountain. Each day bears its testimony to the next, and so the stream goes on in a flow that is never broken. And night unto night showeth knowledge. Dr. Kay compares St. Paul’s statement, that “that which may be known of God” is manifested to man through the creation (Romans 1:19, 20). A certain superiority seems to be assigned to the night, “as though the contemplation of the starry firmament awakened deeper, more spiritual, thoughts than the brightness of day.”
Psalm 19:3 They are silent but they speak loudly.
“There is no speech, nor are there words, Their voice is not heard.”
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 3. – There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard; rather, there is no speech, there are no words; their voles is not heard; i.e. the speech which they utter is not common speech – it is without sound, without language. No articulate voice is to be heard. (So Ewald, Hup-feld, Perowne, Kay, Hengstenberg, Alexander, and our Revisers.)
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
There is no speech, there are no (uttered) words, their voice is inaudible; understanding the poet to say, that the manifestation of the Creator’s glory, which he has just imagined the heavens proclaiming, and of which each succeeding day hands on the tale, is not made in audible words. The communication of the sky is eloquent, but mute; its voice is for the heart and emotion, not the ear
Psalm 19:4 God’s message in the heavens is everywhere
“Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world. In the,m He has placed a tent for the sun.”
Matthew Henry Commentary
19:1-6 The heavens so declare the glory of God, and proclaim his wisdom, power, and goodness, that all ungodly men are left without excuse. They speak themselves to be works of God’s hands, For they must have a Creator who is eternal, infinitely wise, powerful, and good.
Psalm 19:5 The bridegroom comes seeking his bride.
“Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.”
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 5. – Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; literally, and he is as a bridegroom. The bridegroom went forth to meet the bride in glorious apparel, and “preceded by a blaze of torch-light” (Kay). The sun’s “chamber” is where he passes the night – below the earth; from this he bursts forth at morning in his full glory, scattering the darkness, and lighting up his splendid “tabernacle.
Psalm 19:6 The glory of God’s Son
“Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them. And there is nothing hidden from its heat.”
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 6. – His going forth is from the end of the heaven The poet, like other poets, describes the phenomena as they appear to him. He does not broach any astronomical theory. And his circuit (i.e. his course) unto the ends of it. i.e. He proceeds from one end of the heavens to the other. And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. Many things are hidden from the light of the sun, but nothing from it’s “heat.” which is the vital force whence the whole earth receives life and energy.
Psalm 19:7 God’s Word is perfect and restores one’s soul.
“The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) The law.–The ear catches even in the English the change of rhythm, which is as marked as the change of subject. Instead of the free lyric movement of the preceding verse, we come suddenly upon the most finished specimen of didactic poetry in regular metre, exhibiting a perfect balance of expression as well as of thought, so perfect in the original, that in Psalm 19:7-9 the number of words is the same in each clause. In each clause, too, the Law, under one or another of its many names and aspects, is praised, first for its essential character, then for its results.
Psalm 19:8 God’s path is right, his Word enlightens.
“The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) Right.–Here in its original sense of “straight,” or direct. A fine moral insight suggested this touch. The road of duty, when plain and unmistakable, inspires a sense of gladness, even if it be difficult and dangerous.
19:9 The fear of God cleans the soul.
“The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9) The fear of the Lord.–Here plainly not a moral quality of the individual, but, as in Proverbs 15:33 religion, the service demanded by the Law, which, being “pure and undented,” endures, while the false systems of idolatrous nations perish. Based on the eternal principle of right, the judgments of God, it is eternal as they are.
19:10 Your Word is a sweet reward.
“They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 10. – More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold. (For the difference between “gold” (זהב) and “fine gold” (פז), see the ‘Homiletic Commentary on Job,’ p. 458.) God’s Law is a far greater good to man, and therefore far more to be desired, than any amount of riches; much more must it be preferable to honey and the honeycomb.
19:11 Help me to hear your warning
“Moreover, by them, Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is a great reward.”
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 11. – Moreover by them is thy servant warned. This verse is a sort of connecting link between the second and the third parts of the psalm. Through its subject-matter, which is still the Law of the Lord, it belongs to the second part; but metrically, and by the introduction of the person of the psalmist (“thy servant”), it belongs to the third. David feels that to him it is the crowning excellence of the Law, that it teaches, instructs, or “warns” him. And in the keeping of them, there is a great reward. Not only the reward promised in Exodus 15:26, or “the recompense of the reward” laid up for men in heaven, but a present reward “in the act of keeping them” (Kay). Obedience, like virtue, is its own reward.
19:12 Help me to know myself better.
“Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.”
Matthew Henry Commentary
19:11-14 God’s word warns the wicked not to go on in his wicked way, and warns the righteous not to turn from his good way. There is a reward, not only after keeping but in keeping God’s commandments.
19:13 Keep me from pride and proud people
“Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(13) Presumptuous sin.–The Heb., from the root meaning to “boil up” or “over,” is properly masculine, and always elsewhere means proud or arrogant men. (So Symmachus and Aquila.) Hence here explain, “Keep thy servant from the companionship of arrogant men, so that they may not get dominion over me, and lead me away from thy Law.”
19:14 May my words and thoughts be acceptable.
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.”
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 14. – Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight. Nor let my doings only be righteous; let the door of my lips be kept, that I utter no evil word, and the recesses of my heart are purged, that I think no evil thought. O Lord, my strength; literally, my Rock (צוּדִי), as in Psalm 18:1. And my Redeemer (comp. Psalm 78:35; and see Genesis 48:16, Exodus 15:13, Leviticus 25:48, Ruth 4:4, Job 19:25, Isaiah 63:9). As applied to God, the word “Redeemer” (גואֵל) always means a “Deliverer” from sin, or death, or danger.
More from the Book of Psalms:
Psalm One, the walk of the godly.
Psalm 17: fair and equal justice
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