Study on Psalm 19

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Psalm 19:1-14 (NKJV) 1  The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2  Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3  There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.
4  Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
5  Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6  Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
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 forever; 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 Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.
12  Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.
13  Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.
14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

Four-fold Confirmation of God’s Existence

  1. The heavens declare God’s glory. Hebrew: caphar (OT:5608), to recount, to mark as a tally, number out, inscribe as a writer (Psalm 19:1; Psalm 75:1; Job 12:8)
  2. The firmament shows His handiwork in creation. Hebrew: nagad (OT:5046), to front, stand boldly out, manifest, certify (Psalm 19:1; Psalm 111:6; Micah 6:8)
  3. Days utter speech. Hebrew: naba (OT:5042), to gush forth, belch out, pour out, utter abundantly (Psalm 19:2; Psalm 78:2; Psalm 145:7)
  4. Nights show knowledge. Hebrew: chavah (OT:2331), to declare, show, indicate (Psalm 19:2; Job 15:17; Job 32:6,10,17; Job 36:2)

If the heavens number out the glory of God and inscribe the infinite works of the Creator; if the firmament manifests His handiwork and certifies His existence; if days constantly pour forth teaching; and if nights declare the knowledge of God, then God’s existence is everywhere confirmed.

Five Measuring Lines

Hebrew: qav (OT:6957), a measuring line or rule (Psalm 19:4; 1 Kings 7:23; 2 Kings 21:13; 2 Chron. 4:2; Job 38:5; Isaiah 28:10,13,17; Isaiah 34:11,17; Jeremiah 31:39; Lament. 2:8; Ezekiel 47:3; Zech.1:16).

  1. Used of measuring (1 Kings 7:23; 2 Chron. 4:2; Jeremiah 31:39; Ezekiel 47:3)
  2. Used of judgment (2 Kings 21:13; Isaiah 28:17; Lament. 2:8; Zech.1:16)
  3. Used of setting bounds to creation (Job 38:5)
  4. Used of gradual giving of the Word of God (Isaiah 28:10,13)
  5. Here (Psalm 19:4) it seems to be used of the messages of truth that have gone through all the world. This is the sense in which Paul used it (Romans 10:18). Some versions translate it “good news,” “their voice,” and “hope.”

Six Blessings From the Heavens

  1. They declare God’s glory (Psalm 19:1).
  2. They show His handiwork.
  3. They utter (gush out) speech (Psalm 19:2).
  4. They show (manifest) knowledge.
  5. Their messages are universal (Psalm 19:3-4).
  6. They give life to earth (Psalm 19:5-6).

Six Names for the Scriptures:

  1. The law of the Lord (Psalm 19:7)
  2. The testimony of the Lord
  3. The statutes of the Lord (Psalm 19:8)
  4. The commandment of the Lord
  5. The fear of the Lord (Psalm 19:9)
  6. The judgments of the Lord

Nine Characteristics of the Word of God:

  1. Perfect (Psalm 19:7)
  2. Sure
  3. Right (Psalm 19:8)
  4. Pure
  5. Clean (Psalm 19:9)
  6. Eternal
  7. True
  8. Altogether righteous
  9. Sweeter than honey and the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10)

Six Blessings of the Word of God:

  1. Converting the soul of those who return to God as the sun returns in the heavens (Psalm 19:7)
  2. Making the simple wise
  3. Rejoicing the heart (Psalm 19:8)
  4. Enlightening the eyes as the sun enlightens all living things on earth
  5. Warning the servants (Psalm 19:11)
  6. Rewarding the obedient. By living in the Word as the sun does in the heavens, and by keeping watch as observers do the heavenly bodies, one is blessed.

 Five Desires of the Righteous:

  1. Cleanse me from secret faults.
  2. Keep me from presumptuous sins (Psalm 19:13).
  3. Let sin not dominate.
  4. Let words be acceptable to God (Psalm 19:14).
  5. Let meditations of the heart be acceptable to God.

Secret faults refer to those deeply imbedded traits that have not yet come to the surface in one’s life; also to those secret things that one may be consciously hiding from public view.

Presumptuous Sins

These sins are willful and deliberate rebellions against light and conscience. Those who commit them will soon be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). Presumptuous sins were judged by death (Numbers 15:30; Deut. 29:19-20; Romans 9:20-21; Romans 11:32). Woes are pronounced against such sinning (Isaiah 5:18-25; Isaiah 29:15-20).

Ten Examples of Presumptous Sinning:

  1. Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:16)
  2. Pharaoh (Exodus 5:2)
  3. Moses (Numbers 11:11-15,22)
  4. Israel (Exodus 14:11-12; Exodus 17:7 Numbers 16:41; 1 Cor. 10:9-12)
  5. Syrians (1 Kings 20:28)
  6. Rulers of Judah (Isaiah 28:14-22)
  7. Saul (1 Samuel 13:8-14; 1 Samuel 15:3-23)
  8. The rich fool (Luke 12:18-20)
  9. The Pharisee (Luke 18:11-14)
  10. Homosexuals (2 Peter 2:10-11)

Much transgression, habitual sinning.

Finis J. Dake, Dake Topical Index, WORDsearch CROSS e-book,

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