Focused Passage

Psalms 19:1-4

The Heavens Declare and the Law Revives

The psalm moves from creation’s universal declaration of God’s glory, to the sun’s joyful circuit under God’s ordering, to the perfection and sweetness of the LORD’s instruction, and finally to David’s prayer that God would cleanse hidden faults, restrain willful sins, and make his words and meditation acceptable.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

3 Without speech or language, without a sound to be heard,

4 their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

The heavens הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural declare מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים H5608 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural the glory כְּבֽוֹד־ H3519 Noun - masculine singular construct of God אֵ֑ל H410 Noun - masculine singular the skies הָרָקִֽיעַ׃ H7549 Article | Noun - masculine singular proclaim מַגִּ֥יד H5046 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular the work וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה H4639 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of His hands יָ֝דָ֗יו H3027 Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

Day י֣וֹם H3117 Noun - masculine singular after day לְ֭יוֹם H3117 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular they pour forth יַבִּ֣יעַֽ H5042 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular speech אֹ֑מֶר H562 Noun - masculine singular night וְלַ֥יְלָה H3915 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular after night לְּ֝לַ֗יְלָה H3915 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular they reveal יְחַוֶּה־ H2331 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular knowledge דָּֽעַת׃ H1847 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 3

Original words

Without אֵֽין־ H369 Adverb speech אֹ֭מֶר H562 Noun - masculine singular or וְאֵ֣ין H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb language דְּבָרִ֑ים H1697 Noun - masculine plural without a sound קוֹלָֽם׃ H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural . . . בְּ֝לִ֗י H1097 Adverb to be heard נִשְׁמָ֥ע H8085 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard
Verse 4

Original words

their voice קַוָּ֗ם H6957 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural has gone out יָ֘צָ֤א H3318 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular into all בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct the earth הָאָ֨רֶץ׀ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular their words מִלֵּיהֶ֑ם H4405 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural to the ends וּבִקְצֵ֣ה H7097 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of the world תֵ֭בֵל H8398 Noun - feminine singular In [the heavens] בָּהֶֽם׃ Preposition | third person masculine plural He has pitched שָֽׂם־ H7760 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular a tent אֹ֥הֶל H168 Noun - masculine singular for the sun לַ֝שֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ H8121 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - common singular

BSB notes

  • LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate; Hebrew their measuring line
  • Cited in Romans 10:18

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.