Psalm 19/Notes/Lexical.V. 8.425320

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Instruction-Sun (Ps 19:8-11)
Input 1: YHWH's covenant instruction Input 2: Sun
Source Given by YHWH Created by YHWH (Gen 1:16)
Purpose To teach Israel how to live as YHWH's people; to illuminate the paths of life (cf. Ps 119:105) To illuminate the earth (Gen 1:15)
To distinguish YHWH's people from the nations (cf. Exod 19:5-6; Lev 20:24; 1 Kgs 8:53 [הבדיל]) To separate (להבדיל) day from night (Gen 1:14)
To be the means by which YHWH rules over his people; to govern the behavior of his people To rule the day (Gen 1:16)
Attributes Perfect (v. 8a); flawless (בָּרָה v. 9b) Flawless/bright (בָּרָה֙ כַּֽחַמָּ֔ה) (Song 6:10)
True (אֱמֶת v. 10b) and, therefore, reliable (נֶאֱמָנָה v. 8b) Faithful to rise every morning and, therefore, a reliable witness to the continuation of the created order (cf. Gen 8:22; Ps 89:37-38)
Just (v. 9a); righteous (v. 10b) A symbol of righteousness and justice (cf. Mal 3:20; IQ27 I:6–7; the Hammurabi stele; cf. Sarna 1965, 173).
Pure (טְהוֹרָה v. 10a) Associated with the pure (טְהוֹרָה) (cf. טֹהַר in Exod 24:10; טְהָרוֹ in Ps 89:45; cf. Eaton 1968)
Benefits Restores life (v. 8a) Gives and restores life (cf. Mal 3:20; the Great Hymn to the Aten in COS 1.28; cf. Sarna 1965, 173).
Makes wise (v. 8b) Associated with the gift of wisdom (cf. the Shamash Hymn in COS 1.1117), perhaps insofar as wisdom is associated with light
Causes to rejoice (v. 9a) Causes to rejoice (cf. Mal 3:20; Hymn to Egyptian sun god in COS 1.27; COS 1.25; cf. Sarna 1965, 174)
Gives light to eyes (v. 9b), i.e., brings spiritual refreshment Gives light to eyes
Potential dangers Brings a curse on Israel if they do not keep it (cf. Deut 28:15-68 Strikes (הכה) people who are unprotected (Isa. 49:10; Jon. 4:8; Ps. 121:6)
Temporal duration Enduring forever (v. 10a) Enduring forever (cf. Ps 89:37)
Blend
YHWH's sun-like covenant instruction
Implicatures
  • Just as nothing is hidden from the sun's heat (v. 7c), so no sin is hidden from the 'heat' of YHWH's instruction; in the 'light' of YHWH's instruction, every action, thought, and motive is exposed for what it is (cf. vv. 12-15).
  • Just as the sun is the source of all physical life and energy on the earth, so YHWH's instruction is the source of all spiritual life and energy among his people.
Figure Prominence HIGH In one sense, the image is subtle and low in prominence, because the psalm never explicitly compares YHWH's instruction to the sun. However, by putting the description of YHWH's instruction (vv. 8-10) immediately after the description of the sun (vv. 5c-7) and by using terms to describe YHWH's instruction which are also appropriate to the sun, the psalm strongly encourages a comparison between the sun and YHWH's instruction. Indeed, it is the recognition of this implicit comparison that unlocks the meaning of the whole psalm (see the Story Behind triangles, where the main parts of the psalm are linked by the assumption YHWH's instruction is like the sun).