Psalms 19 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
Traditionally the reign of David, roughly 1010 to 970 BC, in a world where sun worship was practised by most neighbouring peoples
Location
The open sky over the land of Israel, then the sanctuary setting where God's instruction was taught
Audience
Worshipping Israelites surrounded by cultures that treated the sun and stars as gods
Situation
The first half describes the heavens telling of God's glory in speech without words, tracking the sun's daily circuit. The second half turns to God's written instruction as perfect, sweeter than honey, and closes with a request to be cleared of hidden faults.
Key Background
Egypt and Mesopotamia both worshipped the sun as a deity and also as the god of justice who saw everything, and this psalm deliberately demotes the sun to a created thing that runs its course like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, while giving the role of exposing hidden faults to God's instruction instead. The Hebrew word usually translated law means teaching or instruction rather than legal code, so the delight expressed here is in being taught by God, not in legal compliance. Comparing that instruction to gold and to honey from the comb sets it against the two most valued portable goods in an agricultural economy.
The skies tell the story of God's magnificence; the above announces the work of his hands.
Day after day they out speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
There is no speech, there are no words — their voice makes no sound at all.
Yet their carries across the whole earth, their message reaches the edges of the world. In the skies he pitched a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a groom stepping from the canopy, like an thrilled to run the course.
It rises at one end of the sky and circles to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
The of Yahweh is complete — it you. The of Yahweh is trustworthy — it makes the inexperienced wise.
The Yahweh sets are — they fill the heart with joy. The of Yahweh are clear — they light up your eyes.
for Yahweh is — it lasts forever. The of Yahweh are true — every one of them just.
More desirable than — more than heaps of gold; sweeter than honey — than honey fresh from the comb.
By them your is warned; in keeping them, the is immense.
Who can see their own spots? Clear me of the ones I cannot see.
And hold your servant back from wrongs; do not let them dominate me. Then I will be whole, cleared of serious
Let the words of my mouth and the of my heart be you welcome, Yahweh, my and my