Psalm 19 Verse-by-Verse

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Welcome to the Verse-by-Verse Notes for Psalm 19!

The Verse-by-Verse Notes present scholarly, exegetical materials (from all layers of analysis) in a verse-by-verse format. They often present alternative interpretive options and justification for a preferred interpretation. The Verse-by-Verse Notes are aimed at consultant-level users.

The discussion of each verse of this psalm includes the following items.

1. A link to the part of the overview video where the verse in question is discussed.
2. The verse in Hebrew and English.
3. An expanded paraphrase of the verse.
4. A grammatical diagram of the verse, which includes glosses for each word and phrase.
5. A series of notes on the verse, which contain information pertaining to the interpretation of the psalm (e.g., meaning of words and phrases, poetic features, difficult grammatical constructions, etc.).

Superscription (v. 1)

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
1	לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	For the director. A psalm. By David.

Expanded Paraphrase

For the director of music and thus, for the congregation to hear and recite. A psalm. Written By David, the servant of YHWH (cf. Ps 18:1; 19:12-14).

Grammatical Diagram

The Words of the Sky (vv. 2-7)

Many have argued that the Psalm is a composite of two originally individual psalms (Ps 19A: vv. 2-7; Ps 19B: vv. 8-15), but the evidence for this view is weak. The differences between vv. 2-7 and vv. 8-15 are more apparent than real. See The Unity of Ps 19 for an in-depth discussion. In any case, most interpreters of Psalm 19 agree that the psalm divides into two major sections: vv. 2-7 // vv. 8-15. Each section begins by announcing its theme (v. 2: "the heavens"; v. 8: "YHWH's instruction"), and each section closes with a pair of tricola (vv. 6-7; vv. 14-15).

The first section (vv. 2-7) is about how the sky declares YHWH's honor. The first word of this section is, appropriately, "the sky" (הַשָּׁמַיִם, v. 2a). The only other use of the word "the sky" (הַשָּׁמַיִם) is in the last verse of this section (v. 7). Thus, vv. 2-7 are bound by an inclusio. This first section is further subdivided into two smaller sections, each of which ends with a negative statement (אֵין, vv. 4, 7c).

vv. 2-4

Verses 2-4 (also v. 5) depict the sky as a person speaking (personification). More specifically, these verses depict the sky as a poet. This particular image of the sky as a poet is suggested by the word "verse-line" (קַוָּם) in v. 5 (see notes below) and by the verb "declare" (סַפֵּר) in v. 2, which can refer to poetic discourse in particular (see notes below). The following table explores this image of the sky as a poet.

v. 2

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
2a	הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים כְּבֽוֹד־אֵ֑ל	The sky is declaring God’s honor,
2b	וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דָ֗יו מַגִּ֥יד הָרָקִֽיעַ׃	and the firmament is telling about the workmanship of his hands.

Expanded Paraphrase

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1)—an act which indicates God's supreme honor and immense skill. On the first day of creation, he made day and night. On the second day of creation, he made the firmament, which he named "sky." On the fourth day of creation, God made the sun, moon, and stars to fill the sky and to govern the rhythm of day and night. And not only did God create the world in this way, he also continues to sustain and regulate this created order. One of the clearest examples of the continuation of God's created order is the continuous succession of days and nights (cf. Gen 8:22), which is governed by the movements of the sun, moon and stars in the sky. In this way, The sky is declaring the honor of the one who created it and who sustains it. It is declaring God’s honor, and the firmament, a part of the "sky," is telling about the workmanship of his hands. The sky is like a poet recounting in verse the great honor and skill of its creator.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The first word of v. 2, the sky (הַשָּׁמַיִם), introduces the topic of the first half of the psalm (vv. 2-7). The "sky" (שָׁמַיִם) is the place where God dwells, the place where birds fly, and—what is most important for this psalm—the place where the sun, moon, and stars are located (Gen 1:15-19). The following diagram illustrates some of the ways in which the Hebrew word שָׁמַיִם differs from the English word "sky."

• The parallel line uses a similar word: the firmament (הָרָקִֽיעַ). The Hebrew word for "firmament" (רָקִֽיעַ) refers to "something like a rounded vault placed on top of the surface of the earth" (SDBH) or a "gigantic heavenly dome which... arched above the earthly globe" (HALOT). Importantly for this psalm, the firmament was the "place where sun, moon, and stars are suspended" (SDBH, cf. Gen 1:15-19). The "firmament" was one part of the sky. As Seely writes, "the word שָׁמַיִם (heaven[s]) is broader in meaning than רָקִֽיעַ. It encompasses not only the רָקִֽיעַ (Gen 1:8; Ps 19:6; 148:4) but the space above the רָקִֽיעַ (Ps 2:4; 11:4; 139:8) as well as the space below (Ps 8:8; 79:2). Hence birds fly in the heavens, but never in the רָקִֽיעַ. Rather, birds fly upon the face or in front of the רָקִֽיעַ (Gen 1:20)." The following sketch presents one possible way of visualizing an ancient Hebrew conception of the cosmos and how the "firmament" fits within it.

"The firmament is telling about the workmanship of his hands." (v. 2b).

• The two parallel lines in v. 2 are arranged in a chiastic structure. The word order in the a-line is Subject—Verb—Object (default word order for participial clauses), and the word order in the b-line is Object—Verb—Subject: the sky—is declaring—God's honor // the workmanship of his hands—is telling about—the firmament.
• The verbs in v. 2 are participles: is declaring (מְסַפְּרִים)... is telling about (מַגִּיד). Most English versions have generic presents. The NIV, for example, says, "The heavens declare the glory of God" (cf. ESV, NLT, NET). The CEV has a habitual translation: "The heavens keep telling the wonders of God." The participles, however, suggest continuous action in the actual present: "is declaring... is telling about."
• The verb declare refers to an "action by which humans communicate verbally to others about an event or situation, with focus on the contents rather than on the speech act" (SDBH). The verb is sometimes used to describe poetic discourse. In Ps 9, for example, the psalmist introduces his poem by stating his intention to "declare" (אֲסַפְּרָה) YHWH's wondrous works (Ps 9:2).
• The topic of the sky's poem is God's honor (כָּבוֹד) or "glory" (NIV, ESV, NLT, GNT, NET), i.e., God's excessively high status as Creator. In the context of Ps 19 with its focus on day and night (v. 3) and the sun (see vv. 5c-7), it is perhaps significant that the word "glory" (כָּבוֹד) is "often connected with manifestations of light" (HALOT).
• The first line of the psalm uses the common noun God (אֵל, v. 2a). This designation is appropriate in the first half of the psalm, which focuses on YHWH's role as the universal creator whose glory is revealed to all people (cf. אֱלֹהִים in Gen 1). It is not until the second half of the psalm (vv. 8-10, 15), which focuses on YHWH's covenant instruction, that he is revealed as "YHWH." For more on the deep significance of divine names and titles in this psalm, see the notes on v. 15.
• The phrase translated the workmanship of his hands (וּֽמַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו, v. 2b) could refer collectively to God's deeds ("the work>>works of his hands"), to the product which YHWH has created ("what he has done" GNT, CEV), or to the abstract quality of YHWH's workmanship ("his craftsmanship" NLT). The context (and, specifically, the parallel with the abstract noun "honor") suggests the latter. In other words, God's "hands" (a metonymy for God himself) are characterized by the quality of "workmanship" or "skill."

v. 3

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
3a	י֣וֹם לְ֭יוֹם יַבִּ֣יעַֽ אֹ֑מֶר	Day after day pours out speech,
3b	וְלַ֥יְלָה לְּ֝לַ֗יְלָה יְחַוֶּה־דָּֽעַת׃	and night after night imparts knowledge.

Expanded Paraphrase

In what way is the sky declaring God's honor and skill? It is Day after day, i.e., the continued rhythm of day to day, that pours out speech, and it is night after night that imparts knowledge, a knowledge about God, the creator, the possessor of infinite honor and skill. In other words, the sky communicates God's honor and skill through the orderly succession of days and nights and the consequent movements of the sun, moon, and stars. As we see these celestial bodies move across the sky in perfect order and radiant beauty, we are reminded of the honor and skill of the creator. The "rhythm" of the sky's poem is the rhythm of day and night.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Verse 3 explains how the sky declares God's glory, i.e., it is through the continuous succession of day and night and the corresponding movements of the celestial bodies which govern this passage of time. The predicates in v. 3 ("pours out speech... imparts knowledge") are presupposed from the statements in the previous verse ("is declaring... is telling about"), and the subjects day after day (י֣וֹם לְ֭יוֹם, v. 3a) and night after night (לַ֥יְלָה לְּ֝לַ֗יְלָה, v. 3b) are fronted for marked focus. In other words, v. 2 raises the question, "how is it that the sky is speaking?", and v. 3 provides the answer: "It is the movement of day to day that pours forth speech and the movement of night to night that imparts knowledge." As Calvin writes, "the orderly and useful succession of days and nights eloquently proclaims the glory of God."
• The previous point assumes that the subject of v. 3a is day after day and that the subject of v. 3b is night after night. But not all interpreters agree with this analysis. The GNT, for example, reflects an alternative interpretation: "Each day announces it to the following day; each night repeats it to the next." According to the GNT, the subject of the clause is "day" (יוֹם), and the prepositional phrase "to day" (לְיוֹם) is adverbial. The GNT's interpretation can be diagrammed as follow:

• The NIV reflects a different interpretation of the grammar of v. 3: "Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge." According to the NIV, the phrases "day after day" and "night after night" are adverbial, and the subject of the clause is "the sky/firmament" from the previous verse. However, if this interpretation were correct, we would expect plural verbs to match the plural group of "sky" (הַשָּׁמַיִם, plural) and "firmament" (הָרָקִיעַ) in the previous verse. All of the following pronominal references to these entities are plural (e.g., "their verse-line" קַוָּם [v. 5a], "in them" בָּהֶם [v. 5c]). The NIV's interpretation can be diagrammed as follows:

• The verb translated pours out (יַבִּיעַ) is a relatively rare, poetic verb of speech (cf. Pss 59:8; 78:2; 94:4; 119:171; 145:7). It means "literally: to cause to bubble up (words); hence: = action by which humans utter many words -- (to cause) to bubble up > to pour out" (SDBH). The image is that a person's mouth is like a spring, and their words are like water. In this case, however, the 'person' speaking is the sky. It might be that the image is intended to evoke the thought of rain falling from the sky.
• The verb translated imparts (יְחַוֶּה) is an Aramaic loanword (HALOT), roughly equivalent in meaning to the Hebrew word הִגִּיד used in v. 2b.

v. 4

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
4a	אֵֽין־אֹ֭מֶר וְאֵ֣ין דְּבָרִ֑ים	There is no speech, and there are no words
4b	בְּ֝לִ֗י נִשְׁמָ֥ע קוֹלָֽם׃	whose sound is not being heard.

Expanded Paraphrase

And the sky's poem is heard by everyone. There is no speech, and there are no words whose sound is not being heard. Everyone hears and understands the sky's poem, no matter where they live or what language they speak.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• There are two main ways of interpreting the grammar of this verse, and each interpretation results in a very different meaning. The NIV reflects the interpretation of most modern translations: "they have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them." In other words, according to the NIV, the purpose of this verse is to deny that the sky literally speaks. As the NET says, "there is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard." In grammatical terms, this option reads v. 4b as an independent clause. This option would create a nice synonymous parallelism between the a-line and the b-line. According to this interpretation, however, the verse does not fit very well in the context of the surrounding verses, which present the sky as "declaring" (v. 2a), "telling" (v. 2b), "pouring out words" (v. 3a), "imparting knowledge" (v. 3b), sending out a "verse-line" (v. 5a), and speaking "words (v. 5b). It would not make sense for the psalmist to interrupt this poetic language with the dull and obvious assertion that the language is not literal. As Calvin writes, "if this was David’s meaning, what need was there to repeat three times that they have not articulate speech? It would certainly be spiritless and superfluous to insist so much upon a thing so universally known." A more likely interpretation of the grammar (one which fits better in the context) is to read v. 4b as a relative clause: "There is no speech and there are no words whose sound is not being heard." The ancient versions interpreted the text in this way. According to this option, the verse is saying that the communication of the sky is ubiquitous; every "word" that the sky utters is heard; not a word goes unheard. As Delitzsch writes, "The discourse of the heavens and the firmament, of the day (of the sky by day) and of the night (of the sky by night), is not a discourse uttered in a corner, it is a discourse in speech that is everywhere audible, and in words that are understood by all." This view works well with the next verse (v. 5), which talks about the universal extent to which their communication reaches ("in all the earth" // "to the end of the world"). In other words, v. 5 states positively what v. 4 states negatively.

vv. 5-7

Verses 5-7 are bound by the repetition of the roots יצא and קצה (see the poetic structure visual above). This section (vv. 5-7) is about how the communication of the sky, and of the sun in particular, goes out to the very ends of the world. The emphasis, as seen in the beginning (v. 5a) and end (v. 7c) of this section, is on the universality of the sky's influence.

Verses 5-7 are joined to vv. 2-4 by a chiasm at the seam: a. דְּבָרִים b. קוֹלָם b.' קַוָּם a.' מִלֵּיהֶם (see poetic structure visual above). The b-items sound similar to one another (both begin with ק and end with ם), and the a-items are semantically related.

v. 5ab

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
5a	בְּכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ ׀ יָ֘צָ֤א קַוָּ֗ם	Its verse line has gone forth throughout the whole earth,
5b	וּבִקְצֵ֣ה תֵ֭בֵל מִלֵּיהֶ֑ם	and its words [have gone forth] throughout the edge of the world.

Expanded Paraphrase

Its verse line has gone forth throughout the whole earth, so that everyone hears this heavenly poem, and its words [have gone forth] throughout the edge of the world.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Just as the first section (vv. 2-4) began with the word "the sky" (הַשָּׁמַיִם, v. 2a), so the second section (vv. 5-7) begins with the word the earth (הָאָרֶץ). Together, "earth" (v. 5a) and "sky" (v. 2a) cover all of creation (cf. Gen 1:1), and so the message about YHWH's glory fills the entire cosmos.
• The prepositional phrase throughout all the earth (בְּכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ׀) is fronted for marked focus. The previous verse has stated in negative terms that not a single word of the heavens goes unheard. Verse 5 now states in positive terms that their words have gone forth throughout the whole earth (v. 5a), to the very edge of the world (v. 5b). There is no place on earth where their words are not heard.
• The word translated here as verse-line (קַוָּם) is controversial. For an in-depth discussion of the issue, see The Text and Meaning of Ps 19:5a. In short, some interpreters want to emend the Hebrew text to קוֹלָם, but there is no manuscript evidence for this reading. The reading קום is almost certainly the original reading. The problem is that the meaning of this word is not clear. The context requires a word within the lexical domain of 'speech,' but the word קַו usually refers to a "measuring line." There is some evidence, however, that קַו can refer to a "line or writing" and, specifically, to a "line of poetry", i.e., a "verse-line." This appears to be how the author of the creation poem in column IX of the Qumran Hodayot (1QH^a) both uses the word and perhaps also understood the word in Ps 19. Alluding to Ps 19, the poem says, "You yourself created breath for the tongue. You know its words, and you determine the fruit of the lips before they exist. You set the words according to the measuring line (על קו), and the utterance (מבע) of the breath of the lips by measure. And you bring forth the lines (ותוצא קוים) according to their mysteries and the utterances (מבעי) of the breath according to their calculus, in order to make known your glory (כבודכה) and to recount (ולספר) your wonders ..."
• The prepositional phrase throughout the edge of the world (בִקְצֵה תֵבֵל) has caused some minor problems for interpreters. The ancient Greek translator, Aquila, for example, translates the phrase as "to (εἰς) the edge of the world," perhaps reading a different Hebrew preposition. Similarly, most English translations use the gloss "to" (NIV, NLT, KJV, ESV, NET), despite the fact that the Hebrew preposition בְּ prototypically indicates location or movement within. The problem goes away, however, when we understand that the Hebrew word for "edge" is not just a thin border, but a space (cf. Gen 23:9) and that the "edge of the world" is a large space. Just as the words of the heavens can travel "within" or "throughout" the whole earth, so they can travel "within or "throughout" the world's edge.
• The word world (תֵבֵל) is a poetic synonym of ארץ (e.g., Ps 24:1) and "a common noun that has acquired the value of a proper noun." It refers to "the earth as opposed to the sky, with special focus on the area that is inhabited by humans" (SDBH). English translations tend to use the parallel "earth//world" (KJV, ESV, NIV, NLT, CEV) or "world//earth" (GNT).
• The word words (מִלֵּיהֶם) is, like "imparts" (יְחַוֶּה) in v. 3, an Aramaic loanword (HALOT) (cf. Ps 139:4; 2 Sam 23:2), synonymous with the word דָּבָר (v. 4a).

vv. 5c-6

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
5c	לַ֝שֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ שָֽׂם־אֹ֥הֶל בָּהֶֽם׃	He has set up in it a home for the sun,
6a	וְה֗וּא כְּ֭חָתָן יֹצֵ֣א מֵחֻפָּת֑וֹ	and he is like a bridegroom coming out of his tent.
6b	יָשִׂ֥ישׂ כְּ֝גִבּ֗וֹר לָר֥וּץ אֹֽרַח׃	He is glad, like a warrior, to run his course.

Expanded Paraphrase

The greatest of the sky's lights which governs the passage of time and thus declares God's honor is the sun. The sun lives in the sky, because that is where God placed it. He has set up in it, that is, in the sky, a home for the sun. In the morning, the sun wakes up and leaves his tent, his home, with joy, and so he is like a newly married bridegroom, strong and joyful, coming out of his tent on the morning after his wedding. He is glad, not only like a bridegroom, but also like a great warrior, to run his course. The sun, as the ruler of the day (Gen 1:16), is like a great warrior, and great warriors are excellent runners, who love to run long distances and exercise their athletic ability.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• In v. 5c, the fronted prepositional phrase for the sun (לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ) introduces a new topic, which will remain the topic throughout vv. 5c-7. The lamed preposition indicates that the sun is the beneficiary of the event described in this clause.
• The prepositional phrase in it is somewhat difficult to interpret. The Septuagint omits the phrase entirely. The plural suffix "it" (lit.: "them" הֶם-) probably refers to "the sky" (plural: הַשָּׁמַיִם, v. 2), which includes "the firmament." The preposition "in" (-בָּ) is probably locative. The description here thus accords with the narrative in Genesis 1, where God places the sun "in (בּ) the firmament of the sky" (Gen 1:17). It also accords with the other places in Scripture where the sky is depicted as a "home" (lit.: "a tent" אֹהֶל).
• Verse 6 introduces two images, both of which are explicitly marked as similes with the preposition like (כְּ) and are, therefore, prominent. Verse 6a compares the rising sun to a newly-married bridegroom coming out of his tent on the morning after his wedding. Cf. NLT: "It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding." The following table explores the significance of this figure:

• The word for tent or "canopy" (cf. Joel 2:16) in v. 6a is hyponymous to the word for "home" (אֹהֶל) in the previous verse. It refers to a "temporary construction made of cloth; ► erected for a newly married couple" (SDBH). It is not clear, however, "whether the canopy was a special tent where the marriage was consummated, or whether it was a protective covering over the wedding ceremony itself." The first option seems more likely both in light of the parallel with חֵדֶר ("room") in Joel 2:16 and in light of the fact that it would make more sense for the sun to be "going out" in the morning. Hence, as Waltke writes, "in Psalm 19:5 the 'shelter' refers to the bridegroom's chamber where presumably he takes his bride to consummate their marriage."
• In v. 6b, the image of the sun as a bridegroom shifts to an image of the sun as a warrior (גִבּוֹר). The word for "warrior" (גִבּוֹר, lit.: "great one") refers to "a human being... who is renowned for his characteristics, such as physical strength, power, bravery, skill, wealth, good character, or a combination thereof" (SDBH). The word is typically used in military contexts to refer to a military "hero" or "warrior," but it can also refer more generally to someone with "any special degree of physical might, power, authority, and splendor (“glory”)." Thus, some translations have "athlete" (GNT) or "great athlete" (NLT). But because "running" (רוץ) is elsewhere associated with warriors (cf. Joel 2:7; Job 16:14), the word here probably refers to a "warrior." In particular, it might refer to the sun as a warrior-king. Genesis 1, for example, describes the sun as the king of the day (cf. Gen 1:16; Ps 136:8), and kings were expected to be great warriors who could run long distances (cf. 2 Sam 1:23; 22:33, 37). The following table explores the significance of this image of the sun as a warrior:

• Both of the images in v. 6 (bridegroom and warrior) are associated with joy. Verse 6b even uses the verb is glad (יָשִׂישׂ) to describe the sun. The combination of these two images might also hint at the fact that the sun is both a source of life and joy as well as a potential danger to those exposed to its heat.

v. 7

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
7a	מִקְצֵ֤ה הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם ׀ מֽוֹצָא֗וֹ	His starting point is from the edge of the sky,
7b	וּתְקוּפָת֥וֹ עַל־קְצוֹתָ֑ם	and his turning point is at its edges,
7c	וְאֵ֥ין נִ֝סְתָּ֗ר מֵֽחַמָּתוֹ׃	and nothing is hidden from his heat.

Expanded Paraphrase

His starting point is from the eastern edge of the sky, and his turning point is at its edges in the west, at which point he turns around and travels through the underworld to return to his starting point for the next day. The sun's course spans the universe, and so nothing is hidden from his heat.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The word order in v. 7ab forms a chiasm (Subject-Prepositional phrase // Prepositional phrase—Subject), beginning and ending with the root קצה ("edge"). Verse 7ab thus iconically represents the sun's course from one edge to another (מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם ׀...עַל־קְצוֹתָם). It is also likely that the predicate complement in v. 7a, from the edge of the sky (מִקְצֵ֤ה הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם ׀), is fronted for marked focus. The subject of the clause, his starting point (מֽוֹצָא֗וֹ), is presupposed from the previous clause which mentions the sun's "course." The focus of v. 7a is, then, the location of the starting point: "from one edge of the sky." The relevant point of the clause, therefore, is the geographical extent of the sun's course.
• The turning point of the sun's course (v. 7b) is the "location where the sun has reached the end of its circuit and from where it is expected to move back to its beginning point" (SDBH). As HALOT says, "the eastern horizon as one extremity of the sky is the place from which the sun commences its course; at the opposite side, on the western horizon, is the turning-point, for this is the entrance for its nocturnal journey back under the earth."
• The preposition translated at (עַל) in the phrase "at its edges" (v. 7b) probably indicates proximity to something, i.e., the place where the sun turns around is located at, or near, the western edge of the sky.
• The psalm's first major section (vv. 2-7) concludes with the statement that nothing is hidden from his heat (v. 7c), poetically paralleling the negative statement in v. 4. C.S. Lewis was correct to identify v. 7c as "the key phrase on which the whole poem depends." The description of the sun's inescapable heat (v. 7c), together with the following description of YHWH's instruction as being like the sun (vv. 8-11), is what leads the psalmist to recognize his own sinfulness and to pray for blamelessness in vv. 12-15. "As he has felt the sun, perhaps in the desert, searching him out in every nook of shade where he attempted to hide from it, so he feels the Law searching out all the hiding-places of his soul."

The Words of YHWH (vv. 8-11)

The second half of the psalm (vv. 8-15) is about the Torah of YHWH in the life of his servant. The first word of this section is, appropriately, תּוֹרַת יְהוָה. The root תמם ('complete', 'perfect'), which also occurs in the opening line of this section, is repeated near the end of the section (v. 14b). Van der Lugt rightly points out that "this root represents the key notion of vv. 8–15." The perfection of YHWH's instruction (v. 8) leads the psalmist to desire to be blameless/perfect (v. 14). The word "heart" (לב, vv. 9, 15) and the divine name "YHWH" (vv. 8-10, 15) work together with the root תמם to form an inclusio around this section.

The main connection between this half of the psalm and the first half of the psalm is the implicit comparison between YHWH's instruction and the sun. The descriptions which are applied to YHWH's instruction in vv. 8-11 could also apply to the sun. The sun, for example, is associated with "righteousness" and "justice" (vv. 9a, 10b, cf. Mal 3:20), with the ability to "give light" (v. 9b) and "restore life" (v. 8a, cf. Mal 3:20), with "flawlessness" (v. 9b, cf. Song 6:10) and "joy" (v. 9a, cf. Mal 3:20), with reliability (v. 8b) and everlastingness (v. 10a, cf. Ps 89:37-38). Furthermore, a few words in the second half of the psalm appear to have secondary meanings/associations related to the sun. The word בָּרָה (v. 9b), for example, can mean either "flawless" or "bright." Similarly, the word טְהוֹרָה means "pure," but it has associations with brightness. Finally, the word נִזְהָר in v. 12a could mean either "warned" or "illuminated" (cf. Dan 12:3; Ezek 8:2). Another, more prominent, connection between the two halves of the psalm is the repetition of the verb נִסְתָּר ("hidden") in v. 7c and v. 13b.

Thus, although the psalm never makes the point explicit, there is an implicit comparison between YHWH's instruction and the sun. The idea—and this idea is the key to understanding the psalm—is that YHWH's instruction is like the sun. Just as the sun is the source of all physical life on the earth, so YHWH's instruction is the source of all spiritual life for his people. And just as there is nothing "hidden" (נִסְתָּר) from the heat of the sun (v. 7c), so there is no sin that is "hidden" (מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת) from YHWH's instruction (v. 13b). It is precisely this inescapable "heat" of YHWH's instruction that leads the psalmist to pray for blamelessness in vv. 12-15 (see Speech Act Analysis). C. S. Lewis, who called Ps 19 "the greatest poem in the Psalter" was right to claim that "the key phrase on which the whole poem depends is 'there is nothing hid from the heat thereof'... As [the psalmist] has felt the sun, perhaps in the desert, searching him out in every nook of shade where he attempted to hide from it, so he feels the Law searching out all the hiding-places of his soul."

Verses 8-11, which comprise the first major unit of this second half of the psalm, are bound by the similar theme of YHWH's instruction. The first three verses of this unit (vv. 8-10) are tightly bound together by the six-fold repetition of the divine name (once in each line), the virtually identical syntactic structure of each line (construct phrase, adjective, participle), the similar length of each line (5 words, perhaps an allusion to the Pentateuch?). It may be that "the structural regularity (strict parallelism of nominal and participial clauses) is the linguistic counterpart to the order that the law is intended to establish." Verse 11 is bound syntactically to these verses by the anaphoric article (הַֽנֶּחֱמָדִ֗ים), and because it too is about YHWH's instruction. The whole of vv. 8-11 is organized as an abc//c'b'a' + d structure.

The literary structure of Genesis 1 shows a similar pattern. In a psalm which alludes so strongly to creation (vv. 2-7), this correspondence is probably not a coincidence.

v. 8

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
8a	תּ֘וֹרַ֤ת יְהוָ֣ה תְּ֭מִימָה מְשִׁ֣יבַת נָ֑פֶשׁ	YHWH’s instruction is perfect, restoring life.
8b	עֵד֥וּת יְהוָ֥ה נֶ֝אֱמָנָ֗ה מַחְכִּ֥ימַת פֶּֽתִי׃	YHWH’s testimony is reliable, making simpletons wise.

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH's covenant instruction is like the sun. Just as the sun is a perfect source of life and refreshment, so YHWH’s covenantal instruction, which he revealed to Moses, is perfect, restoring life. And just as the sun is sometimes associated with reliability and the gift of wisdom, so YHWH’s testimony is reliable, making simpletons wise.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The phrase YHWH's instruction (תּוֹרַת יְהוָה), the first words of the new section (vv. 8-11), introduces the topic of this section. The phrase probably refers to the written Law of Moses.
• If the phrase "YHWH's instruction" refers to the written Law of Moses, then the parallel phrase YHWH's testimony probably refers to "the stipulations of the Sinai covenant laid down in writing" (HALOT 791b). Hillers offers a slightly different analysis and argues that עֵדוּת is "actually another name for 'covenant'" and that "covenant" would be a better translation than "testimony." If this interpretation is correct, then the parallel terms "instruction" (תּוֹרָה, v. 8a) and "testimony/covenant" (עֵדוּת, v. 8b) would together refer to "YHWH's covenantal instruction," with v. 8b highlighting the covenantal nature of YHWH's instruction. The following verses (vv. 9-10) paint an even fuller picture of what is meant by "YHWH's covenantal instruction" in v. 8. This instruction includes especially YHWH's commands, commandments, and rules (vv. 9ab, 10b), the essential goal of which is "fearing YHWH" (v. 10a).
• The first adjective used to describe YHWH's instruction is perfect (תְּמִימָה), which SDBH defines as a "state in which a certain event is performed in such a way that no one can find fault with it." The idea of "perfection" or "blamelessness" is a key idea in this psalm. The root תמם occurs again in v. 14, where the psalmist expresses his desire to become "blameless" (אֵיתָם).
• The participial clause translated restoring life (מְשִׁיבַת נָפֶשׁ, cf. Ps 23:3) means "literally: to bring back (one's) self; hence: = causative process by which humans or deities restore a sense of well-being to (other) humans, which may extend from feeling refreshed after a good meal to feeling contented because of a major change in one's life situation" (SDBH). The phrase here used to describe YHWH's instruction would also be an appropriate way to describe the sun, which is associated with "healing" (מַרְפֵּא, Mal 3:20) and the restoration of life. The participle is probably habitual, as are the following participles in vv. 8b-10a.
• The word translated reliable (נֶאֱמָנָה) could refer to the permanence of YHWH's instruction (so SDBH) or to its reliability (so HALOT) or perhaps to both. The immediate context (i.e., the use of the word עֵדוּת and the following clause "making wise...") suggests that the reliability, or trustworthiness, of YHWH's instruction is the main focus, though the idea of permanence is not excluded (cf. "enduring forever" in v. 10a). Because YHWH's instruction is a reliable source of guidance, it has the ability to be making wise the simple. Both "reliability" and the ability to "make wise" are attributes associated with the sun. The sun is reliable in the sense that it rises and sets every day without fail. Psalm 89, for example, describes the moon as a "reliable (נֶאֱמָן) witness in the sky” (Ps 89:38). The sun is also associated with wisdom, probably because wisdom is associated with light (cf. Ps 119:105, 130). Thus, an Akkadian hymn to the sun god, Shamash, says, "You grant wisdom, O Shamash, to humankind. You grant those seeking you your raging, fierce light... You grant wisdom to the limits of the inhabited world."
• When we try to fit together the clauses in v. 8 into a single overall mental representation, something like the following story emerges: Someone who is a "simpleton" (פֶּתִי), i.e., an "open-minded" person, walks through life under the sway of their own whims and the influence of others. As a result, this "simpleton" becomes weak, tired, and discontented. But then this person finds YHWH's covenant instruction, which is both perfect (lacking nothing and thus able to make wise) and reliable (providing trustworthy guidance). When this person applies himself to YHWH's instruction, he becomes wise and his well-being is restored. We can visualize this "story" as follows:

v. 9

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
9a	פִּקּ֘וּדֵ֤י יְהוָ֣ה יְ֭שָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי־לֵ֑ב	YHWH’s commandments are just, causing the heart to rejoice.
9b	מִצְוַ֥ת יְהוָ֥ה בָּ֝רָ֗ה מְאִירַ֥ת עֵינָֽיִם׃	YHWH’s command is flawless, giving light to the eyes.

Expanded Paraphrase

And just as the sun is associated with justice and the giving of joy, so YHWH’s commandments are just, causing the heart to rejoice. And just as the sun is a flawless (or bright) source of light, so YHWH’s command is flawless (or bright), giving light to the eyes.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The word commandments in v. 9a (פִּקּוּדֵי) refers to "rules regulating behavior" (SDBH). Whereas the previous verse used singular nouns to describe YHWH's covenant instruction as a whole, this verse uses a plural noun to refer to the individual commandments of the covenant.
• Verse 9a describes the commandments as just, causing the heart to rejoice. As in the previous verse, the attributes here are also appropriate to the sun. In ancient Israelite thought, the sun was closely associated with righteousness and law. Malachi, for example, refers to the "sun of righteousness" (שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה). The same association held throughout the broader Ancient Near Eastern world. The stele of Hammurabi's Code, for example, is topped with an image of King Hammurabi receiving a commission to write the law from the sun god Shamash, who elsewhere is called "the careful judge who gives just verdicts" and the "judge (dayyān) of heaven and earth." In Egypt too the sun-god Re "'judges the wicked from the just;' 'judges the weak and the injured;' he is 'maker of righteousness.'"

Hammurabi receiving a commission to write the law from the sun god, Shamash.

• The sun is also associated with causing the heart to rejoice (מְשַׂמְּחֵי לֵב). An Egyptian hymn to the sun, for example, says that "every land rejoices at his rising," and another hymn says that "the patricians are happy when you rise."
• The word command in v. 9b (מִצְוַת) is a singular collective, referring to YHWH's covenant instruction as though it were a single command emanating from his authority.
• The word translated flawless (בָּרָה) is similar in meaning to the word translated "perfect" in v. 8a. It refers to a "state in which an event happens entirely as desired or required, without any interference that could be considered a flaw" (SDBH). Interestingly, this word also has associations with the sun (cf. Song 6:10 "bright (בָּרָה) as the sun", NIV). Some English translations even use the term "radiant" here in Ps 19 (NIV, CSB). The CEV says "shine brightly." Some of the ancient versions also translated the word in this sense. The "brightness" of YHWH's command explains why it is able to "give light to the eyes."
• Just as "flawless" (בָּרָה) in v. 9b is synonymous with "perfect" (תְּמִימָה) in v. 8a, so giving light to the eyes (מְאִירַת עֵינָיִם) in v. 9b is synonymous with "restoring life" in v. 8a. Light to the eyes indicates renewed life and energy (cf. 1 Sam 14:27).
• As in the previous verse, the descriptions in this verse come together in the mind to form a coherent "story": A person sees or experiences injustice, and as a result he becomes sad, weak, and tired. In other words, his "eyes become dim." But then this person studies and keeps YHWH's command. Because YHWH's command is just, it makes him glad. And because YHWH's command is "flawless" or "bright", it gives light to his eyes. As a result, the person is glad and the light is restored to his eyes. The following visual illustrates this "story":

v. 10

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
10a	יִרְאַ֤ת יְהוָ֨ה ׀ טְהוֹרָה֮ עוֹמֶ֪דֶת לָ֫עַ֥ד	Fearing YHWH is pure, enduring forever.
10b	מִֽשְׁפְּטֵי־יְהוָ֥ה אֱמֶ֑ת צָֽדְק֥וּ יַחְדָּֽו׃	YHWH’s rules are true; they are altogether right—

Expanded Paraphrase

And just as the sun endures forever, so Fearing YHWH, i.e., the commandments, which have as their beginning and end the fear of YHWH, is pure, free from all impurities, and thus, like pure gold, enduring forever. And just as the sun is associated with righteousness, so YHWH’s rules are true; and they are therefore altogether right—

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• At first glance, the phrase fearing YHWH (lit.: "fear of YHWH") appears out of place in the series of phrases which refer to YHWH's commandments. For this reason, some scholars want to emend the text. But the manuscript evidence for the reading "fear" (יִרְאַת) is strong, and the reading makes sense in the context. "Fearing YHWH" is the goal of the commandments and the essence of covenant obedience, and so "fearing YHWH" can function as a metonymy for the requirements of the covenant, i.e., "the religion commanded by Yahweh, a synonym for his תּוֹרָה." The NET Bible translates this phrase accurately and clearly as "the commands to fear the LORD."
• The adjective pure (טְהוֹרָה) is similar to the words for "perfect" (v. 8a) and "flawless" (v. 9b), referring to a "state in which events are free from anything that would detract from their quality" (SDBH, cf. Ps 12:7). At the same time, the word for "pure" (טְהוֹרָה) has associations with the sun.
• Because the commands to fear YHWH are of such a high quality (i.e., because they are "pure"), they are enduring forever. The quality of permanence is also associated with the sun. Psalm 89, for example, says that David's "offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me" (ESV).
• YHWH’s rules, which are true and altogether right, are "the individual commandments as well as the summary of the entire law." The phrase might refer more specifically to the kind of rules found in Exod 21:1ff ("and these are the rules...").

v. 11

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
11a	הַֽנֶּחֱמָדִ֗ים מִ֭זָּהָב וּמִפַּ֣ז רָ֑ב	those which are more desirable than gold, even much pure gold,
11b	וּמְתוּקִ֥ים מִ֝דְּבַ֗שׁ וְנֹ֣פֶת צוּפִֽים׃	and sweeter than honey, even virgin honey from the honeycomb.

Expanded Paraphrase

For all of these reasons, they, i.e., YHWH's rulings as representing the entirety of his covenantal instruction, are those which are more desirable than gold, even much pure gold, and sweeter than honey, even virgin honey from the honeycomb.

Grammatical Diagram

See previous verse for diagram.

Notes

• Verse 11 is closely bound to the previous clause by the anaphoric definite article, translated here as those which. Although the article points back directly to the phrase "YHWH's rules" in the previous line, in terms of meaning it also points back to all of the previous words for the law in vv. 8-10.
• The coordinating conjunctions in v. 11, translated as even, indicate addition: "they are better than gold and [they are also better than] much pure gold..." In English, however, the Hebrew conjunction waw is better translated as "even" in this instance. As the ESV, for example, says, "More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold..." (cf. NLT, NET, KJV ["yea"]).
• Each line in v. 11 describes something which is extremely desirable, first by using a more general term (gold... honey) and then by using a more specific term to refer to the thing in its best and purest form (pure gold ... virgin honey).

The Words of my Mouth (vv. 12-15)

Verses 12-14 are bound by the repetition of the words גם ... עבדך (vv. 12a, 14a), the root נקה (vv. 13b, 14c), and the word רב (vv. 12, 14, also v. 11) (see poetic structure visual above). The section is further bound by a similar theme: sin and warning (note the various words for "sin" in vv. 13-14 and the reference to "warning" in v. 12). Whereas the previous unit (vv. 8-11) extols the benefits of YHWH's instruction, this unit laments the human inability to keep YHWH's instruction perfectly. This unit ends similarly to the previous unit: the phrase מִפֶּשַׁע רָב (v. 14c) echoes the phrase וּמִפַּז רָב (v. 11a). The similar endings in the second half of the psalm (vv. 11, 14) parallel the similar endings in the first half of the psalm (vv. 4, 7). Finally, v. 15 concludes the second section and the entire psalm—notice the reference to 'words' (אמר) which echoes the beginning of the psalm. It is closely related to the previous verses with its first person language, yet it also stands apart from them by not sharing in the features that bind vv. 11-14.

This third part of Ps 19 (vv. 12-15) is a prayer for blamelessness. The prayer begins with a kind of confession. By saying that he is "warned" (v. 12a), the psalmist implies that he has sinned and has come to recognize the danger of his situation. By saying that keeping YHWH's rules bring great reward (v. 12b), he expresses a desire to become blameless, to become someone who keeps YHWH's rules and thereby experiences great reward. In v. 13a, he implies that he is guilty of errors, for no one is able to discern all errors. Following this confession, he asks for forgiveness (v. 13b) and protection (v. 14a) from sin. If YHWH answers his request, then he will be blameless (v. 14bc) and will be able to keep YHWH's commands and experience the fullness of their benefits. He concludes by praying in v. 15 that, having been made blameless, his words and thoughts would be an acceptable sacrifice to YHWH.

v. 12

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
12a	גַּֽם־עַ֭בְדְּךָ נִזְהָ֣ר בָּהֶ֑ם	Furthermore, your servant is warned by them.
12b	בְּ֝שָׁמְרָ֗ם עֵ֣קֶב רָֽב׃	There is great reward in keeping them.

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH's perfect covenantal instruction has numerous benefits. In addition to all of the things mentioned above, it also does something else: it warns. And so, Furthermore, your servant (by which I mean "I myself") is warned by them. When I hear the sky declaring your honor and I sense the perfection of your words penetrating my soul like the sun's scorching rays, I realize how sinful I am, and I am "warned" of my perilous situation (cf. Isa 6). Although There is great reward in keeping them (cf. vv. 8-11), there is only misery for those who fail to keep them.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The major emotional shift in the psalm comes in v. 12. As Fishbane writes, "The style shifts; the words of hope and need are disjunctive and anxious, as contrasted with the hymnic, parallel strophes of part 1 [vv. 2-7] and the explicatory didacticisms of part 2 [vv. 8-11]. They express hesitant, anxious emotions. They burst from the soul and shatter the stately elegance of the language of the psalm's opening lines. The lines of part 3, by contrast, reveal the psalmist in his radical subjectivity, with his own torment and anxiety." The emotions of the psalmist here are similar to the emotions of Isaiah in Isa 6. When Isaiah saw the glory of God in his temple, he responded by saying, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips." Similarly, when the psalmist 'hears' the glory of God in the sky and contemplates the perfection of YHWH's word, he realizes his own guilt and uncleanness, specifically with regard to his speech (cf. v. 15), and he prays for forgiveness and protection.
• The discourse particle furthermore (גַּם, cf. ESV: "Moreover...", CSB: "In addition..."), which opens this new section (vv. 12ff), signals that the information in v. 12a is an addition to the information in v. 11 (and perhaps also to the information in vv. 8-10). The preceding verse has elaborated on the desirability and sweetness of YHWH's instruction. Verse 12 now introduces new information about YHWH's instruction: not only is it desirable and sweet, but it also warns those who fail to keep it (v. 12a).
• In this new section, David refers to himself twice as your servant (עַבְדְּךָ) (vv. 12a, 14a), which is a polite form of self-reference used when speaking to a superior (cf. HALOT). The term creates a connection to the superscription of the previous psalm, where David is called "YHWH's servant" (עֶבֶד יְהוָה).
• The participle translated as is warned (נִזְהָר) refers to a "process by which someone becomes aware of something (usually bad) that is going to happen..." (SDBH). In this case, the psalmist has become aware of his own sin (cf. vv. 13-14) and the inadequacy of his own speech (v. 15), and he realizes that unless YHWH rescues him, he is in a perilous situation. Like many of the words in vv. 8-11, the word "warned" (נִזְהָר) has associations with the sun. The root זהר can also mean "to illuminate," and it seems likely there is a double meaning here: the psalmist is both "warned" and "illuminated," i.e., the light of YHWH's instruction has shone on him and made him aware of his own sin. The idea is similar to a statement in an Akkadian hymn to the sun god, Shamash: "At the brightness of your light, humankind's footprints become visible." Most modern translations and lexicons render the verb in Ps 19 as "warned." The general-present statement in the b-line (v. 12b) suggests that the participle in v. 12a is similarly a general present ("is warned", so most translations) and not an actual present ("is being warned").
• The pronominal suffix in the phrase by them (בָּהֶם) points back to the phrase "YHWH's rules" in v. 10b, which stands (by synecdoche) for all of the law-related words in vv. 8-10: YHWH's servant is warned by YHWH's rules. At the same time, there are several connections between this verse and the first part of the psalm (vv. 2-7) which suggest that the phrase "by them" also points back to "the sky" (הַשָּׁמַיִם [plural], vv. 2, 7). In the first place, an identical prepositional phrase ("in them", בָּהֶם) occurs as the last word of v. 5c and refers to the sky. Secondly, as mentioned above, the word "warned" (נִזְהָר) in v. 12a has associations with light. Finally, some of the words in v. 12b sound like words in v. 2. The word "in keeping them" (בְּשָׁמְרָם) sounds like the word for "sky" (שָׁמֵיִם), and the phrase translated "great reward" (עֵקֶב רָב) sounds very much like the word for "firmament" (רָקִיעַ). Together, these connections suggest that the phrase "by them," although it refers primarily to YHWH's instruction, also points subtly to the sky. In other words, YHWH's servant is warned not only when he encounters YHWH's perfect words (vv. 8-11) but also when he hears the words of the sky declaring YHWH's honor (vv. 2-7). The following visual presents this sequence of events as a "story" and also compares it to Isaiah's experience in Isa 6.

• The prepositional phrase in keeping them (בְּשָׁמְרָם) in v. 12b introduces a new topic. The first half of the verse (v. 12a) is about what YHWH's instruction does to someone who doesn't keep it—they are warned. The second half of the verse (v. 12b) then addresses what happens when YHWH's instruction is kept (cf. vv. 8-11). The word order in v. 12 also forms a chiasm (Subject, Predicate with בְּ PP // Predicate with בְּ PP, Subject).

v. 13

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
13a	שְׁגִיא֥וֹת מִֽי־יָבִ֑ין	Who can discern mistakes?
13b	מִֽנִּסְתָּר֥וֹת נַקֵּֽנִי׃	Clear me from the guilt of hidden sins!

Expanded Paraphrase

Yet how can I keep your rules and experience the great reward that they bring? I cannot avoid but making mistakes, i.e., inadvertently doing that which you have prohibited. Who can know the entirety of your instruction and how it applies to every area of life and so can discern mistakes and recognize them before it's too late? And in addition to the mistakes I have committed, there are countless numbers of hidden sins of which I am guilty and not even aware. Yet you see them, for you are the one who searches the heart. Clear me from the guilt of hidden sins!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• In vv. 13-14, "the psalmist enumerates 3 categories of wrongdoing according to the criterion of intention." According to Milgrom, the first category (mistakes שְׁגִיאוֹת) refers to "acts of which the doer is conscious but whose sinfulness he learns afterwards," the second category (hidden sins נִּסְתָּרוֹת) refers to "acts of which the doer is unconscious and which are sinful" (cf. 1QS 5:11-12), and the third category (presumptuous sins זֵּדִים) refers to "presumptuous sins" which are committed deliberately. In terms of word order, each of the three kinds of sin is fronted as the topic of each clause: "As for mistakes (שְׁגִיא֥וֹת), who can realize them? As for hidden sins (מִֽנִּסְתָּר֥וֹת), clear me from their guilt! And as for presumptuous sins (גַּ֤ם מִזֵּדִ֨ים), prevent me from committing them!" Milgrom helpfully summarizes the significance of vv. 13-14 as follows: "The psalmist has extolled the keeping of the Law for its manifold benefits (vv. 8-12) but he now asks the rhetorical question: who can know the entire law and thereby prevent inadvertencies? Furthermore, beyond the scope of law and human wisdom lies the unchartable realm of the hidden, the unconscious sins. In this matter, he can only turn to God and implore that he be cleared. Finally, as regards deliberate sins, man requires restraint in the face of temptation and passion and for this he asks divine aid. Having covered the entire range of human evil, the psalmist's conclusion follows irrefutably: 'then I shall be perfect.'"
• The who question in v. 13a is rhetorical. "Who can discern mistakes?" = "No one can discern mistakes!" The GNT, for example, says, "None of us can see our own errors." The psalmist's purpose in asking the question is to emphatically deny the ability of anyone to know the entirety of YHWH's law, to understand how it applies to every life situation, and, therefore, to be able to discern (and avoid) all mistakes.
• The verb clear me (נַקֵּנִי) refers to an "action by which humans or deities pronounce or consider a person innocent or cleared of wrongdoing and freed from punishment" (SDBH). The modifying preposition from (מִן) probably indicates detachment: "be free (in terms of guilt) from."

v. 14

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
14a	גַּ֤ם מִזֵּדִ֨ים ׀ חֲשֹׂ֬ךְ עַבְדֶּ֗ךָ	Also, prevent your servant from committing presumptuous sins!
14b	אַֽל־יִמְשְׁלוּ־בִ֣י אָ֣ז אֵיתָ֑ם	Do not let them rule over me! Then I will be blameless
14c	וְ֝נִקֵּ֗יתִי מִפֶּ֥שַֽׁע רָֽב׃	and innocent of great crime.

Expanded Paraphrase

Also, prevent your servant from committing presumptuous sins! Do not let them rule over me! Only Then—only if you forgive my hidden sins and protect me from presumptuous sins—I will be a blameless sacrifice pleasing to you and, no longer threatened by the rule of presumptuous sins, I will be innocent of great crime.

Grammatical Diagram

See previous verse for diagram.

Notes

• For a discussion of the word order of v. 14a and the relation of "presumptuous sins" (זֵּדִים) to the other terms for sin in v. 13, see the note on the previous verse.
• The discourse particle also (גַּם) in v. 14a introduces the final request to round off the psalmist's plea for blamelessness. First, he requests forgiveness from hidden sins (v. 13b), and then he (in addition) requests protection from presumptuous sins (v. 14a). The particle has scope over the entire clause; i.e., the entire proposition is marked as an addition (cf. NET and CSB: "Moreover...").
• The word translated presumptuous sins (זֵדִים) is difficult, and we have discussed in detail as one of the top exegetical issues in the psalm: The Meaning of זֵדִים in Ps 19:14. In short, some translations understand the adjective זֵדִים to refer to "presumptuous people" (cf. NRSV, EÜ, GNB, ZÜR, LUT, NGÜ, NBS, NVS78P, PDV2017, NFC, RVR95, BTX4), and other translations understand it to refer to "presumptuous sins" (cf. NIV, REB, GNT, NJPS, NEB, NLT, RSV, ESV, CEV, NVI, HFA). Although elsewhere in the Bible זֵדִים refers to "presumptuous (people)" (see esp. Ps 119), the context of the word in Ps 19 (its appearance at the end of a list with שׁגִיאוֹת and נִסְתָּרוֹת; the use of the verb חשׂך; and the expression "then I will be blameless") strongly suggests that it refers to "presumptuous sins" and not to "presumptuous people." Some adjectives in Biblical Hebrew can act as substantives referring to both people and things (e.g., רַע). It is also possible, however, that זֵדִים in Ps 19:14 is not an adjective but a noun. In either case, the meaning is the same.
• Verse 14b imagines these "presumptuous sins" as hostile rulers trying to control the psalmist. The following imagery table explores this metaphor.

• The discourse marker then (אָז) introduces the desired result of YHWH's forgiveness and protection: "(if you do this) then I will blameless."
• The word blameless (אֵיתָם) echoes the word "perfect" (תְּמִימָה) in v. 8a; both words come from the same root (תמם). The word also has associations with the sacrificial system. In order for a sacrifice to be "acceptable before YHWH" (cf. v. 15), it had to be "blameless."
• The weqatal verb translated here as and innocent (וְנִקֵּיתִי) continues the result semantics of the previous verb. This verb comes from the same verbal root as the verb "clear me" (נַקֵּנִי) in v. 13b.
• The phrase great crime (פֶּשַׁע רָב) is otherwise translated as "great transgression" (KJV, NIV, ESV, NEB), "great sin" (NLT), "grave sin" (NJB), "grave offense" (JPS85), and "blatant rebellion" (NET). According to TDOT, the Hebrew word פֶּשַׁע "refers to an outrageous, imprudent act disruptive of the community on both a small and a large scale and one that could be viewed with enormous severity in connection with the legal sphere, international law, and especially in the relationship to Yahweh as the God who made his people into Israel."
• With the focus on sin in vv. 12-14, the psalm shows a progression from creation (vv. 2-7) to commandment (vv. 8-11) to sin (vv. 12-14). This progression of creation --> commandment --> sin in Ps 19 echoes (and was perhaps inspired by) the same progression in Gen 1-4 (the first chapters of "YHWH's instruction", Ps 19:8). These chapters, like Ps 19, describe God's creation (Gen 1), the commandment he gives to his people to not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:16), and the sin which, once the commandment is given, "rules" (Ps 19:14b) over Adam and Eve and brings them to commit "great crime" (פֶּשַׁע רָב, Ps 19:14c). This tragic story is not just the story of Adam and Eve; it is the story of humanity. It is the story of David who wrote Ps 19 and of everyone who prays Ps 19. But the story does not end in tragedy. Psalm 19 ends, like Gen 1-4, with the hope of redemption. YHWH is the "rock and redeemer" of his people (v. 15) who will crush the serpent's head (cf. Gen 3:15) and rescue his people from sin's dominion.

v. 15

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
15a	יִֽהְי֥וּ לְרָצ֨וֹן ׀ אִמְרֵי־פִ֡י	Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
15b	וְהֶגְי֣וֹן לִבִּ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ	be acceptable before you,
15c	יְ֝הוָ֗ה צוּרִ֥י וְגֹאֲלִֽי׃	YHWH, my rock and my redeemer!

Expanded Paraphrase

Let me be a pleasing sacrifice to you, YHWH! Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, i.e., my thoughts, be an acceptable sacrifice before you, YHWH, my rock, who protects me from sin's threatening dominion, and my redeemer, who forgives all my iniquities!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• This verse continues the sacrificial imagery which was hinted at in the previous clause with the verb "be blameless." The phrase be acceptable before you (יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן...לְפָנֶיךָ) usually refers to "(divine) acceptance, oft. of sacrifice or of people offering a sacrifice to Y[HWH]." Just as a sacrificial animal with any defect was not acceptable to YHWH but only those animals which were 'blameless' (תָּמִים), so the psalmist, once YHWH has made him "blameless" (v. 14b), can offer words which are acceptable to YHWH. The following table explores the significance of this sacrificial imagery:

• Verse 15 is one complete clause, the constituents of which are mixed up across the three lines of the verse. Literally, the Hebrew text reads: "Let the words of my mouth be acceptable, and the meditation of my heart before you, YHWH my rock and my redeemer." But because the phrases "be acceptable" (יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן) and "before you" (לְפָנֶיךָ) usually go together ("be acceptable before YHWH"), we should read them together here as most translations do. The NLT, for example, says, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer" (cf. NIV, ESV, NET, GNT, etc.).
• Some translations imply that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart (אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי) refer to the preceding words of Ps 19. The NIV, for example, has, "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart" (italics added). But this interpretation is unlikely, not only because there is no demonstrative pronoun (e.g., אִמְרֵי פִי הָאֵלֶּה, "these words of my mouth"), but also because in the context it is clear that the psalmist wants all of his words and thoughts to be blameless and acceptable before YHWH. He is not merely praying that YHWH would find his poem pleasing, but that YHWH would make him blameless (v. 14b) and thereby make his words and thoughts (which represent his overall moral state) into acceptable sacrifices.
• The verb let... be (יִהְיוּ) is probably a jussive, although an indicative reading is also possible. As the NET Bible notes in one of its footnotes, "another option is to translate the form as an imperfect continuing the thought of v. 14b: '[Then] the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart will be acceptable before you.'" If this were the case, however, then we might expect another weqatal verb (וְהָיוּ), as in the previous clause (v. 14c). The clause-initial position of the verb also points to a jussive interpretation.
• The psalm's only vocative YHWH, my rock and my redeemer is in the last line of the poem. This seventh and final mention of the divine name is part of one of the most distinctive poetic features in this psalm. In Ps 19, the name YHWH, the personal name of the God of Israel, occurs seven times, six times in vv. 8-10 and one time in the final line of the psalm (v. 15c). It is significant that the number seven signifies completeness, especially in this psalm where the idea of completeness is a prominent theme (cf. the root תמם in v. 8 [תְּמִימָה] and in v. 14 [אֵיתָם]). Before the name YHWH appears for the first time in v. 8, the divine title "God" (אֵל) is used, which is not a personal name, but a common noun (SDBH: "the highest God, creator of heaven and earth").

• The effect of this poetic feature can be described as follows: Psalm 19 shows a progression in the knowledge of God. The first line of the psalm uses the common noun "God" (אֵל). At this point in the psalm, the knowledge of God is general and rather hazy and ill-defined—this "God", whoever he is, is the creator of heaven and earth. The second half of the psalm, however, refers to this God by his personal name "YHWH"—the name which by which he revealed himself to Moses (Exod 3:14-16). The divine name clusters in vv. 8-10, occurring six times within the space of six lines. In this unit, "YHWH" is identified as the God whose covenant instruction (v. 8), which consists especially of commands to fear him (vv. 9-10), is "perfect." Despite the emphasis on perfection, however, there remains in the psalm a glaring imperfection. The fact that YHWH's name occurs only six times creates a tension and leaves the reader expecting something more. The tension is resolved in the final line of the psalm, where YHWH's name is mentioned for the seventh time—this time, however, not as the one who commands his people, but the one who protects and redeems them—"my rock and my redeemer." In other words, God is not only the creator of heaven and earth (vv. 2-7), he is also the personal God of Israel who has given covenant instruction to his people (vv. 8-10). But even this description is 'incomplete,' for YHWH not only teaches his people how to be blameless, he also makes them blameless by forgiving their hidden sins (cf. v. 13) and protecting them from presumptuous sins (cf. v. 14), as their "rock" and "redeemer" (v. 15).
• The word translated rock (צוּר) refers to a large rock or rock formation which could offer shelter to someone in danger (cf. Ps 27:5). The word redeemer (גֹּאֵל) implies a "causative action by which humans or deity deliver an individual or group of people from the power of someone else or from difficult circumstances" and that "the one who performed the act of deliverance has the right to claim the ones he delivered for himself" (SDBH). The words "rock" (צוּר) and "redeemer" (גֹּאֵל) sound similar (alliteration) to the words "acceptable" (לְרָצוֹן) and "meditation of my heart" (הֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי) in the first two lines of the verse.

Legends

Grammatical diagram

For legend, click "Expand" to the right

Grammatical Term	Definition	Diagram	Example
Clausal Additions
Subject	The subject performs the action of the active verb or receives the action of a passive verb. With intransitive verbs	Indicated at the beginning of the main clausal line, and followed by a vertical line that crosses over the main clause line (separating the subject from the predicate).
Direct Object	Object that receives the direct action of a (transitive) verb	Indicate with a vertical line up from main clausal line
Predicate adjective/ Subject complement	A word used with a linking verb (ex. "to be"), renaming or restating the subject. Can be a whole prepositional phrase.	Indicate with a vertical slanted line up from the main clausal line. It can be on a stand if it is an embedded clause.
Object Complement	Word following a direct object to state what it has become.	Indicate with a vertical slanted line up from the main clausal line.
Infinitives	Can be subject, adverbial, or an infinitive construct.	Indicate with double vertical lines that cross the main clausal line. If used adverbially (ie. an embedded clause), place on a stand.
Participles	A verbal noun/adjective that can be used in three positions: (1) substantival; (2) attributive; (3) predicative.	Indicate with a round vertical line. Substantival participles are placed on a stand (they are embedded). Attributive participles are placed with a rounded line underneath what is modified.
Modifiers
Adjectives	A word modifying a noun to indicate quality, quantity, extent, or differentiating something from something else.	Indicate with a slanted line down from what is modified.
Adverbs	A word that modifies a verb, adverb, adjective, prepositional phrase, clause, or sentence to express a relation (ex. manner, quality, or time).	Indicate with a slanted line down from what is modified.
Construct relationships	Construction can express many different relationships between two (or more) nouns. English grammarians call this construction a ‘Construct’ (our term) or ‘Genitive’ phrase; Hebrew grammarians call it smīḵūt (סְמִיכוּת).	Indicate with a stair-step down from the modified word/clause/phrase.
Prepositional phrases	A phrase that consists of a preposition and its object and has adjectival or adverbial value	Indicate with a slanted vertical line connecting to a new clause.
Connectives	(1) Coordinating conjunctions join together words or word groups of equal grammatical rank (2) Subordinating conjunctions join a main clause and a clause which does not form a complete sentence by itself.	Indicate with a dashed line down from a vertical line marker.
Embedded clause	A clause inside another clause which can include substantival participles, adverbial infinitives, and prepositional phrases.	Indicate using stilts.
Particles
Subordinating particle	Indicates a dependent clause.	Indicate with a dashed line down from the antecedent to the pronoun.
Apposition	A word that is functioning as an explanatory equivalent as another in the sentence	Place on a line apart from the diagram but next to the word it is the equivalent of with an equal sign in between.
Vocative	Indicating a person being addressed (usually with a 2nd person verb)	Place on a line apart from the diagram next to the '()' indicating the gapped subject an equal sign in between.

Master Diagram

Shapes and colours on grammatical diagram

For legend, click "Expand" to the right

	Prepositional phrase	Construct chain	Construct chain within a prepositional phrase	Phrase-level waw	Article and כֹּל
Diagram Shading
Definition	- A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition plus its object. The phrase usually modifies the clause or another constituent in the clause.	- A construct chain, also called a 'genitive phrase', is a grammatical encoding of the relationship 'A of B,' in which A is a phonologically modified noun (in the construct state), and B is a phonologically unmodified noun (the absolute state).	- Some construct chains occur within prepositional phrases	- A waw conjunction can join units of all sizes. Phrase level waw join units at the word or phrase level (i.e., below the level of the clause).	- Definite articles tell you something about the identifiability or inclusiveness about the word it is attached to - כֹּל is a quantifier that tells you about the scope of a word it is attached to

Expanded paraphrase

For legend, click "Expand" to the right

• Close but Clear (CBC) translation
• Assumptions which provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences

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Footnotes

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