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Psalm 19:1-6
New English Translation
Psalm 19:1-6
New English Translation
Psalm 19[a]
For the music director, a psalm of David.
19 The heavens declare the glory of God;[b]
the sky displays his handiwork.[c]
2 Day after day it speaks out;[d]
night after night it reveals his greatness.[e]
3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its[f] voice literally heard.
4 Yet its voice[g] echoes[h] throughout the earth;
its[i] words carry[j] to the distant horizon.[k]
In the sky[l] he has pitched a tent for the sun.[m]
5 Like a bridegroom it emerges[n] from its chamber;[o]
like a strong man it enjoys[p] running its course.[q]
6 It emerges from the distant horizon,[r]
and goes from one end of the sky to the other;[s]
nothing can escape[t] its heat.
Footnotes
- Psalm 19:1 sn Psalm 19. The psalmist praises God for his self-revelation in the heavens and in the Mosaic law. The psalmist concludes with a prayer, asking the Lord to keep him from sinning and to approve of his thoughts and words.
- Psalm 19:1 sn God’s glory refers here to his royal majesty and power.
- Psalm 19:1 tn Heb “and the work of his hands the sky declares.” The participles emphasize the ongoing testimony of the heavens/sky.
- Psalm 19:2 tn Heb “it gushes forth a word.” The “sky” (see v. 1b) is the subject of the verb. Though not literally speaking (see v. 3), it clearly reveals God’s royal majesty. The sun’s splendor and its movement across the sky is in view (see vv. 4-6).
- Psalm 19:2 tn Heb “it [i.e., the sky] declares knowledge,” i.e., knowledge about God’s royal majesty and power (see v. 1). This apparently refers to the splendor and movements of the stars. The imperfect verbal forms in v. 2, like the participles in the preceding verse, combine with the temporal phrases (“day after day” and “night after night”) to emphasize the ongoing testimony of the sky.
- Psalm 19:3 tn Heb “their.” The antecedent of the plural pronoun is “heavens” (v. 1).
- Psalm 19:4 tc The MT reads, “their measuring line” (קוּם, qum). The noun קַו (qav, “measuring line”) makes no sense in this context. The reading קוֹלָם (qolam, “their voice”) which is supported by the LXX, is preferable.
- Psalm 19:4 tn Heb “goes out,” or “proceeds forth.”
- Psalm 19:4 tn Heb “their” (see the note on the word “its” in v. 3).
- Psalm 19:4 tn The verb is supplied in the translation. The Hebrew text has no verb; יָצָא (yatsaʾ, “goes out”) is understood by ellipsis.
- Psalm 19:4 tn Heb “to the end of the world.”
- Psalm 19:4 tn Heb “in them” (i.e., the heavens).
- Psalm 19:4 sn He has pitched a tent for the sun. The personified sun emerges from this “tent” in order to make its daytime journey across the sky. So the “tent” must refer metaphorically to the place where the sun goes to rest during the night.
- Psalm 19:5 tn The participle expresses the repeated or regular nature of the action.
- Psalm 19:5 tn The Hebrew noun חֻפָּה (khufah, “chamber”) occurs elsewhere only in Isa 4:5 and Joel 2:16 (where it refers to the bedroom of a bride and groom).sn Like a bridegroom. The metaphor likens the sun to a bridegroom who rejoices on his wedding night.
- Psalm 19:5 tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the regularity of the action.
- Psalm 19:5 tn Heb “[on] a path.”sn Like a strong man. The metaphorical language reflects the brilliance of the sunrise, which attests to the sun’s vigor.
- Psalm 19:6 tn Heb “from the end of the heavens [is] its going forth.”
- Psalm 19:6 tn Heb “and its circuit [is] to their ends.”
- Psalm 19:6 tn Heb “is hidden from.”
Psalm 19:1-6
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 19:1-6
New American Standard Bible
The Works and the Word of God.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
19 The (A)heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their (B)expanse declares the work of His hands.
2 Day to (C)day pours forth speech,
And (D)night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [a](E)line has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has (F)placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person to run his course.
6 Its (G)rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
Footnotes
- Psalm 19:4 Another reading is sound
- Psalm 19:6 Lit the end
- Psalm 19:6 Lit the ends
Psalm 19:1-6
New International Version
Psalm 19:1-6
New International Version
Psalm 19[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens(A) declare(B) the glory of God;(C)
the skies(D) proclaim the work of his hands.(E)
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.(F)
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.(G)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent(H) for the sun.(I)
5 It is like a bridegroom(J) coming out of his chamber,(K)
like a champion(L) rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens(M)
and makes its circuit to the other;(N)
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
Footnotes
- Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
- Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line
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