The Heavens Declare the Glory
Psalm 19 summary: what it means
Psalm 19 has three movements. It starts with the sky. The heavens declare God's glory and pour out speech day and night, and their voice goes out through all the earth. The sun crosses the sky like a bridegroom or a runner, and nothing is hidden from its heat. Then, at verse 7, the psalm turns to the LORD's law and describes it six ways: perfect, sure, right, pure, clean and true.
The third movement is personal. Having praised the law as more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey, the speaker admits he cannot see all his own errors and asks to be kept from presumptuous sins. The psalm closes with the prayer that the words of his mouth and the meditation of his heart be acceptable to God, his rock and redeemer.
Psalm 19: The Heavens Declare the Glory
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-19
Psalm 19 commentary: explained verse by verse
The heavens declare the glory of God.The expanse shows his handiwork.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
The psalm opens with the sky as a witness. The heavens and the expanse do not just exist, they declare and show something about God: his glory and his handiwork.
Also read Psalm 33:6, Psalm 148:3-4, Psalm 150:1-2, Genesis 1:14-15
Day after day they pour out speech,and night after night they display knowledge.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
The sky's message never stops. Day after day it pours out speech, and night after night it displays knowledge. The ordinary cycle of day and night is treated as a kind of teaching.
Also read Psalm 148:12, Psalm 24:7-10, Psalm 136:8-9, Isaiah 38:19
There is no speech nor languagewhere their voice is not heard.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Also read Deuteronomy 4:19
Their voice has gone out through all the earth,their words to the end of the world.In them he has set a tent for the sun,
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Also read Genesis 1:14-18, Psalm 104:2, Romans 10:18, Isaiah 49:6
which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room,like a strong man rejoicing to run his course.
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
The sun is pictured twice: as a bridegroom coming out of his room, and as a strong man glad to run his course. Both images are about energy and joy, not just brightness.
Also read Philippians 3:13-14, Ecclesiastes 1:5, Hebrews 12:1-2, John 3:29
His going out is from the end of the heavens,his circuit to its ends.There is nothing hidden from its heat.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
Also read Ecclesiastes 1:5, Psalm 113:3, Colossians 1:23, Job 25:3
The LORD’s law is perfect, restoring the soul.The LORD’s covenant is sure, making wise the simple.
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Here the subject changes from the sky to the LORD's law. The law is perfect and restores the soul, and the covenant is sure and makes wise the simple. The King James Version has "converting the soul" and "the testimony of the LORD".
Also read Proverbs 1:22-23, 2 Timothy 1:8, Psalm 18:30, Psalm 119:14
The LORD’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart.The LORD’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Two more descriptions follow. The precepts are right and make the heart rejoice, and the commandment is pure and gives light to the eyes. Verses 7 and 8 share one pattern: a name for God's word, a quality, and what it does for a person.
Also read Psalm 13:3, Romans 2:17-20, Psalm 119:130, Psalm 119:12
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever.The LORD’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
The fear of the LORD is clean and lasts forever, and the ordinances are true and righteous altogether. The run of six descriptions that began in verse 7 ends here.
Also read Romans 3:10-18, Psalm 119:62, Psalm 10:5, Revelation 15:3
They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold,sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
God's ordinances are worth more than much fine gold and taste sweeter than honey from the comb. The verse uses money and food, two things people want directly, to show how desirable they are.
Also read Psalm 119:103, Psalm 63:5, Proverbs 3:13-15, Psalm 119:127
Moreover your servant is warned by them.In keeping them there is great reward.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
The law does two things for God's servant: it warns him, and keeping it brings great reward. This is where the psalm starts turning from description to the speaker's own life.
Also read Matthew 3:7, Matthew 6:6, 2 Chronicles 19:10, Matthew 6:18
Who can discern his errors?Forgive me from hidden errors.
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
The speaker asks who can discern his own errors. Since nobody fully can, he asks to be forgiven for errors that are hidden even from himself.
Also read Psalm 139:2, Psalm 51:2, Jeremiah 17:9, 1 Corinthians 4:4
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.Let them not have dominion over me.Then I will be upright.I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Verse 12 dealt with hidden faults. This verse asks to be kept back from presumptuous sins and not to let them rule. Then, the speaker says, he will be blameless and innocent of great transgression.
Also read 1 Samuel 25:32-34, Deuteronomy 17:12-13, Psalm 11:7, Romans 6:12-14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heartbe acceptable in your sight,LORD, my rock, and my redeemer.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
The closing prayer asks that both spoken words and private thoughts be acceptable to God, who is called rock and redeemer. The King James Version ends "O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer".
Also read Revelation 5:9, 1 Peter 2:5, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Psalm 51:15
A prayer from Psalm 19
LORD, the heavens declare your glory, and the sky shows the work of your hands. Day after day and night after night they speak of you. Your law is perfect and restores my soul. Your precepts are right and bring joy to my heart. Your commandment is pure and gives light to my eyes. Let your words be more precious to me than fine gold and sweeter than honey. Who can see all his own errors? Forgive me for the faults that are hidden from me. Keep me back from presumptuous sins, and do not let them rule over me. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.
Psalm 19 Bible study questions
- In verses 1 to 4, how do the heavens and the sky declare God's glory, and how far does their voice reach?
- In verses 7 to 9, what names does the psalm give to the LORD's law, and what does it say each one does?
- What do you think the psalm means in verse 10 by calling the LORD's ordinances more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey?
- Verse 12 asks to be forgiven for hidden errors; how do you respond to the idea that some faults are hidden even from ourselves?
- Psalm 119:103 also calls God's words sweeter than honey; what do the two psalms share in the way they describe God's word?
Questions about Psalm 19
What is Psalm 19 about?
It is about two ways God makes himself known: through the sky, whose voice goes out through all the earth, and through his law, which restores the soul. It ends with a personal prayer for forgiveness and for acceptable words and thoughts.
Who wrote Psalm 19?
The heading attributes it to David and addresses it to the Chief Musician.
What does Psalm 19:14 mean?
It is a prayer that what a person says aloud and what they think in private would both be acceptable to God, who is called rock and redeemer.
What does Psalm 19:14 say in the KJV?
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."
What does Psalm 19:13 mean?
It asks God to hold the speaker back from presumptuous sins so they do not rule over him. Verse 12 asks forgiveness for hidden errors, and verse 13 deals with deliberate ones.
What do Psalm 19:7-8 say?
They describe the LORD's law as perfect and restoring the soul, his covenant as sure, his precepts as right and rejoicing the heart, and his commandment as pure and enlightening the eyes.
Psalm 19 KJV: the King James Version
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.1
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.2
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.3
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,4
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.5
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.6
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.7
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.8
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.9
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.10
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.11
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.12
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.13
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.14
Psalm 19 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
2 הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים כְּבֽוֹד־אֵ֑ל וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דָ֗יו מַגִּ֥יד הָרָקִֽיעַ׃
3 י֣וֹם לְ֭יוֹם יַבִּ֣יעַֽ אֹ֑מֶר וְלַ֥יְלָה לְּ֝לַ֗יְלָה יְחַוֶּה־דָּֽעַת׃
4 אֵֽין־אֹ֭מֶר וְאֵ֣ין דְּבָרִ֑ים בְּ֝לִ֗י נִשְׁמָ֥ע קוֹלָֽם׃
5 בְּכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ ׀ יָ֘צָ֤א קַוָּ֗ם וּבִקְצֵ֣ה תֵ֭בֵל מִלֵּיהֶ֑ם לַ֝שֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ שָֽׂם־אֹ֥הֶל בָּהֶֽם׃
6 וְה֗וּא כְּ֭חָתָן יֹצֵ֣א מֵחֻפָּת֑וֹ יָשִׂ֥ישׂ כְּ֝גִבּ֗וֹר לָר֥וּץ אֹֽרַח׃
7 מִקְצֵ֤ה הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם ׀ מֽוֹצָא֗וֹ וּתְקוּפָת֥וֹ עַל־קְצוֹתָ֑ם וְאֵ֥ין נִ֝סְתָּ֗ר מֵֽחַמָּתוֹ׃
8 תּ֘וֹרַ֤ת יְהוָ֣ה תְּ֭מִימָה מְשִׁ֣יבַת נָ֑פֶשׁ עֵד֥וּת יְהוָ֥ה נֶ֝אֱמָנָ֗ה מַחְכִּ֥ימַת פֶּֽתִי׃
9 פִּקּ֘וּדֵ֤י יְהוָ֣ה יְ֭שָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי־לֵ֑ב מִצְוַ֥ת יְהוָ֥ה בָּ֝רָ֗ה מְאִירַ֥ת עֵינָֽיִם׃
10 יִרְאַ֤ת יְהוָ֨ה ׀ טְהוֹרָה֮ עוֹמֶ֪דֶת לָ֫עַ֥ד מִֽשְׁפְּטֵי־יְהוָ֥ה אֱמֶ֑ת צָֽדְק֥וּ יַחְדָּֽו׃
11 הַֽנֶּחֱמָדִ֗ים מִ֭זָּהָב וּמִפַּ֣ז רָ֑ב וּמְתוּקִ֥ים מִ֝דְּבַ֗שׁ וְנֹ֣פֶת צוּפִֽים׃
12 גַּֽם־עַ֭בְדְּךָ נִזְהָ֣ר בָּהֶ֑ם בְּ֝שָׁמְרָ֗ם עֵ֣קֶב רָֽב׃
13 שְׁגִיא֥וֹת מִֽי־יָבִ֑ין מִֽנִּסְתָּר֥וֹת נַקֵּֽנִי׃
14 גַּ֤ם מִזֵּדִ֨ים ׀ חֲשֹׂ֬ךְ עַבְדֶּ֗ךָ אַֽל־יִמְשְׁלוּ־בִ֣י אָ֣ז אֵיתָ֑ם וְ֝נִקֵּ֗יתִי מִפֶּ֥שַֽׁע רָֽב׃
15 יִֽהְי֥וּ לְרָצ֨וֹן ׀ אִמְרֵי־פִ֡י וְהֶגְי֣וֹן לִבִּ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ יְ֝הוָ֗ה צוּרִ֥י וְגֹאֲלִֽי׃
Psalm 19 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 18 there.
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1 Unto the end. A psalm for David.
2 The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.
3 Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge.
4 There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard.
5 Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.
6 He hath set his tabernacle in the sun: and he, as a bridegroom coming out of his bride chamber, Hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way:
7 His going out is from the end of heaven, And his circuit even to the end thereof: and there is no one that can hide himself from his heat.
8 The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.
9 The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts: the commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes.
10 The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.
11 More to be desired than gold and many precious stones: and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.
12 For thy servant keepeth them, and in keeping them there is a great reward.
13 Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord:
14 And from those of others spare thy servant. If they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin.
15 And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight. O Lord, my helper, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 18.
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1 In finem. Psalmus David.
2 Cæli enarrant gloriam Dei, et opera manuum ejus annuntiat firmamentum.
3 Dies diei eructat verbum, et nox nocti indicat scientiam.
4 Non sunt loquelæ, neque sermones, quorum non audiantur voces eorum.
5 In omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terræ verba eorum.
6 In sole posuit tabernaculum suum; et ipse tamquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo. Exsultavit ut gigas ad currendam viam;
7 a summo cælo egressio ejus. Et occursus ejus usque ad summum ejus; nec est qui se abscondat a calore ejus.
8 Lex Domini immaculata, convertens animas; testimonium Domini fidele, sapientiam præstans parvulis.
9 Justitiæ Domini rectæ, lætificantes corda; præceptum Domini lucidum, illuminans oculos.
10 Timor Domini sanctus, permanens in sæculum sæculi; judicia Domini vera, justificata in semetipsa,
11 desiderabilia super aurum et lapidem pretiosum multum, et dulciora super mel et favum.
12 Etenim servus tuus custodit ea; in custodiendis illis retributio multa.
13 Delicta quis intelligit? ab occultis meis munda me;
14 et ab alienis parce servo tuo. Si mei non fuerint dominati, tunc immaculatus ero, et emundabor a delicto maximo.
15 Et erunt ut complaceant eloquia oris mei, et meditatio cordis mei in conspectu tuo semper. Domine, adjutor meus, et redemptor meus.
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Psalm 19 at a glance
| Verses | 14 |
| Heading in the text | For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to David and addresses it to the Chief Musician. |
| Type | Praise and Wisdom |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 18 |
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Psalm 19 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 19 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 19 belongs
Psalms of DavidBook 1 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source