Psalms 19
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The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Psalm 19:1-14
The Law of the Lord Is Perfect
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Psalm 19:1-14
Psalm 19
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
“We should do well to read often the nineteenth psalm, that we may understand how the Lord binds up His law with His created works” [CT 453].
Yes, Law—“design laws” in nature, whose principles of cause and consequence echo the unfailing operation of the Moral Law. But there’s more:
Scientists speak of “the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics”—the “language” that describes relationships [physics] within properties and between entities.
Life begets life and kind gives rise to kind, with non-flexible boundaries between created “kinds,” and latitude for variation within a “kind.”
But there are limitations, too: We can’t go backward into history, and we don’t know the future—and we can’t really know the present, at the deepest level. [Those who are familiar will recognize the famous “uncertainty principle” from Heisenberg.] We can’t grasp infinity and we can’t reach the speed of light, and those who depend on the pristine workings of logic must still begin somewhere, with faith in initial assumptions.
God created a system that works so well, so balanced, that it seems to work by itself. Some see it as an excuse to dismiss God. Yet faith and closer observation reveal the hand of the Master Designer.
Truly, “the earth is full of His glory”!
Virginia Davidson
Artist—designing and building stained glass windows. Spokane Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church, Washington, USA (as of this writing)
