Psalm 19/Overview/Structure

Psalm 19 At-a-Glance

These sections divide the content of the psalm into digestible pieces , and are determined based on information from many of our layers, including Semantics, Poetics, and Discourse. The columns, left to right, contain: the verse numbers; the main title of the section; a brief summary of the content of that section (quote marks indicate the text is taken directly from the English text of the psalm (as per our Close-but-Clear translation); and an icon to visually represent and remember the content.

v. 1 For the director. A psalm. By David.	Superscription
v. 2 The sky is declaring God’s honor, and the firmament is telling about the workmanship of his hands.	The Words of the Sky	The sky declares God's honor. Not a word of the sky's speech goes unheard.		awe
v. 3 Day after day pours out speech, and night after night imparts knowledge.
v. 4 There is no speech, and there are no words whose sound is not being heard.
v. 5 Its verse line has gone forth throughout the whole earth, and its words [have gone forth] throughout the edge of the world. He has set up in it a home for the sun,		The most brilliant part of the sky is the sun. Nothing is hidden from its heat.		joy & vulnerability
v. 6 and he is like a bridegroom coming out of his tent. He is glad, like a warrior, to run his course.
v. 7 His starting point is from the edge of the sky, and his turning point is at its edges, and nothing is hidden from his heat.
v. 8 YHWH’s instruction is perfect, restoring life. YHWH’s testimony is reliable, making simpletons wise.	The Words of YHWH	YHWH's perfect instruction is like the sun.		joy & vulnerability
v. 9 YHWH’s commandments are just, causing the heart to rejoice. YHWH’s command is flawless, giving light to the eyes.
v. 10 Fearing YHWH is pure, enduring forever. YHWH’s rules are true; they are altogether right;
v. 11 those which are more desirable than gold, even much pure gold, and sweeter than honey, even virgin honey from the honeycomb.
v. 12 Furthermore, your servant is warned by them. There is great reward in keeping them.	The Words of My Mouth	I, your servant, feel the effect of your perfect instruction (just as everything feels the heat of the sun). Make your servant blameless!		distress
v. 13 Who can discern mistakes? Clear me from the guilt of hidden sins!
v. 14 Also, prevent your servant from committing presumptuous sins! Do not let them rule over me! Then I will be blameless and innocent of great crime.
v. 15 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before you, YHWH, my rock and my redeemer!		Let my words be acceptable, YHWH, my rock and my redeemer!		hope

The Words of the Sky (vv. 2–7)

The poem begins with celebrating how the sky praises God the same way a poet would praise him, by declaring his honor. The message of the sky reaches everywhere – not a word of the sky’s poem is lost. The endless rhythm of day and night reminds us that the creator is honored always and everywhere. The sun has the lead role in the sky’s poem. The sun is responsible for traveling the full expanse of the sky every day, exposing everything. Nothing can hide from the sun’s heat.

The fool of Proverbs denies how much God knows. But David has the opposite, wise perspective: he rejoices that God’s honor is everywhere and that God’s knowledge and power are like the sun. The sun rejoices to do its role, and David stands in awe of the majesty and greatness of the sky and the sun. The vulnerability of everything on earth shows the power of the sun: nothing is hidden from its heat.

The Words of YHWH (vv. 8–11)

The sun reaches perfectly to everywhere on earth, bringing light and heat. In a similar way, the instruction of YHWH reaches to every human heart. It is perfect, bringing life, causing joy, and making people wise… This is good, desirable and sweet… like the warmth of the sun. But just like everything uncovered is vulnerable to the sun’s intense heat, the perfection of God’s instruction leaves the psalmist feeling his own vulnerability.

The Words of My Mouth (vv. 12–15)

In v. 12, the tone of the poem changes significantly to focus on the reason for this vulnerability. David feels the heat and the effect of YHWH’s instruction.

David can celebrate how much he desires the perfection of YHWH’s instruction, but at the same time he feels the effect on his uncovered and vulnerable heart: YHWH’s instruction exposes sin, mistakes and even crime. YHWH’s instruction is perfect, but he, David, is not. This leads to distress, because he is someone who tries to follow YHWH but recognizes he is not worthy. He desperately needs YHWH to take away his guilt and protect him from sin.

In v. 15, he feels hope that meets and goes beyond his distress. YHWH’s instruction reveals his own guilt, but his relationship with YHWH—that covenantal relationship we always see in a psalm by David—means he has hope of forgiveness and restoration. He can therefore end the poem praying with confidence: that his own words and the meditation of his own heart be acceptable to YHWH. He knows YHWH will accept them because he is his rock—his safe place from those who try to rule over him—and his redeemer—the one who restores him from his sinful condition into righteousness once again.