Psalm 19 Academics
Nothing is Hidden
Psalm 19
Guardian: Ryan Sikes
Academic Resources
Explore our academic Psalms resources for Psalm 19, including our Layer-by-Layer analysis, select Exegetical Issues, and Overview Videos.
Overview 
- This page will introduce and provide orientation to Psalm 19 as a whole. It covers the message, structure, background and participants of the psalm.
Layer-by-Layer Analysis 
- The heart of our process is our layer-by-layer exegetical analysis, where we unfold the semantics, story behind, discourse, and poetics of each psalm.
Welcome to the Layers Page for Psalm 19
On this page you will find our layer-by-layer resources.
Grammar & Semantics
Semantics is the study of how language is used to represent meaning. The goal of semantic analysis is to understand the meaning of words and how they relate to each other in context. Our Semantics analysis consists of the following sub-layers:
- Grammar & Textual Criticism
- Lexical Semantics
- Phrase-Level Semantics
- Verbal Semantics
Story Behind
The Story Behind the Psalm shows how each part of the psalm fits together into a single coherent whole. Here, we analyze the meaning of sentences and larger units of discourse, up to and including the entire psalm. This also include historical background and figurative imagery.
Discourse
Our Discourse Layer moves beyond semantic-level meaning, and analyzes features of the text dependent on the speaker, addressee, and macrosyntax.
Poetics
Exploring the Psalms as poetry is crucial for understanding and experiencing the psalms and thus for faithfully translating them into another language.
Verse-by-Verse Notes 
- Explore the psalm verse-by-verse and section-by-section.
Psalm 19 Exegetical Issues 
- These issues examine the top three tough questions for each psalm, explaining different scholarly interpretations, and offering our perspective.
- One of the biggest interpretive issues for Psalm 19 is the apparent disunity of the psalm. Scholars have long argued about whether Psalm 19 is one poem or two poems which have been combined into one (Ps 19A = vv. 2-7; Ps 19B = vv. 8-15). This debate has even influenced modern Bible translations.
- Modern translations differ on their interpretation of קַוָּם. Consider, for example, the following translations: "Their line (קַוָּם) is gone out through all the earth" (KJV); "Their sign (קַוָּם) shines forth on all the earth" (REB); "Their music (קַוָּם) goes out through all the earth" (NEB); "Their voice (קַוָּם) carries throughout the earth"(JPS85).
Most translations, however, emend the text to read קוֹלָם instead of קַוָּם: "Yet their voice (קוֹלָם) goes out through all the earth" (RSV/NRSV).
- In this verse, the psalmist asks YHWH to keep him from זֵדִים (v. 14a) and to not let זֵדִים rule over him (v. 14b), so that he can be blameless and innocent (v. 14bc). The word זֵדִים, key to understanding this verse, has been interpreted in various ways. Consider, for example, the following translations: "Keep back your servant also from the insolent" (NRSV, cf. EÜ, GNB, ZÜR, LUT, NGÜ, NBS, NVS78P, PDV2017, NFC, RVR95, BTX4); "Keep your servant also from willful sins" (NIV, cf. REB, GNT, NJPS, NEB, NLT, RSV, ESV, CEV, NVI, HFA).
Psalm 19 Videos 
- There are no videos currently available for this psalm.