Psalm 19

Psalm 19 belongs to Book One (Psalms 1–41) of the Psalms. Whereas the preceding Psalm 18 is David's thanksgiving for deliverance from his enemies, Psalm 19 turns to knowing God through creation and the law. The superscription reads "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David"; the chief Musician was the director who led the temple singing.

Structure

• Verses 1–4a The heavens and the firmament (the vault of the sky) proclaim the glory of God. Though they have no speech or voice, their message goes out through all the earth and to the end of the world.
• Verses 4b–6 God has set a tabernacle for the sun in the heavens. Like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and a strong man running a race, the sun makes its circuit from one end of heaven to the other, and nothing is hidden from its heat.
• Verses 7–11 The psalmist names in turn the law, testimony, statutes, commandment, fear, and judgments of the LORD, celebrating them as converting (reviving) the soul, enlightening the eyes, more to be desired than gold, and sweeter than honey.
• Verses 12–14 The psalmist asks to be kept from secret faults and presumptuous sins (sins committed knowingly and deliberately), and prays that the words of his mouth and the meditation of his heart may be acceptable (gladly received).

Key Verses

• Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God" — the classic expression of the idea that creation bears witness to God.
• Psalm 19:7 "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul" — the opening of the section in praise of the law.
• Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight" — frequently quoted in prayer and preaching.

People and Places

• David: named as author in the superscription.
• No places are mentioned in the text.

Points for Reflection

• Verses 1–6 use the name "God" (El), while verses 7 onward use "the LORD" (Yahweh). Many interpreters read this shift as a contrast between God as revealed in creation and God who made Himself known through the covenant.
• Various strands of Protestant theology, including the Reformed tradition, draw on this psalm to distinguish general revelation through nature from special revelation through the Word.
• It is sometimes read together with Psalm 1 and Psalm 119 as one of the psalms celebrating the law.
• In Romans 10:18, Paul quotes verse 4 to express that the message of the gospel has gone out into all the earth.
• Because the Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as verse 1, verse numbers in commentaries based on the Hebrew text run one higher than in English Bibles.

In the Korean Church

• Verse 14 is often used in the prayer offered before a sermon.
• The chorus "The Heavens Are Telling" from Haydn's oratorio The Creation is based on this psalm and is frequently sung by church choirs.