Psalm 19

Psalm 19 is the 19th psalm in the Book of Psalms (the 18th in the Septuagint numbering). It is ascribed to David.

The psalm considers the glory of God in creation, and moves to reflect on the character and use of "the law of the LORD". A comparison is made between the law and the sun, which lends a degree of unity to the psalm. C. S. Lewis suggested that in verse 7, the Psalmist starts talking about something else, "which hardly seems to him like something else because it is so like the all-piercing, all-detecting sunshine." Like the Sun, the law is able to uncover hidden faults, and nothing can hide from it. As the Psalmist meditates on the excellencies of the law, he feels that his sins have been laid open before God's word, and asks for forgiveness and help.

According to the text, Psalm 19 was composed by king David. Psalm 19 is said as part of the preliminary Jewish service on Saturday (Sabbath) mornings and also at festivals. Parts of it are quoted in the New Testament Epistle to the Romans. Even though there only are 14 verses, they cover topics of central importance to the author's faith. He uses similes and metaphorical phrases to describe the purity of the law. C. S. Lewis said of Psalm 19: "I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world."

(Note: Some Hebrew versions number the title or preface text as verse 1, with other verses one number higher, for a total of fifteen verses. This article follows the numbering used in most English translations.)

Psalm 19: To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

The opening verses of Psalm 19 present the heavenly bodies and their movement as a universal witness to the glory of God that is understood by people of every language. The language connects day and night as a continuous presentation. The words suggest energy, strength, joy, and light.

Some commentators have suggested that the author may have used ideas from the literature of the proto-Phoenicians, who worshiped heavenly bodies such as the Sun. However, others point out that the belief in one God is not in doubt here because the author specifically says that the heavens and the things in them were made by his God.

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