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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
Psalm 19. In singing this psalm, God's people celebrate his law, the Torah, as his supreme revelation of himself. The psalm recounts the way the creation speaks of its Maker (vv. 1-6), and then the way in which the Mosaic law addresses the soul (vv. 7-11), followed by the humble response that this calls for (vv. 12-14). As Moses does in Genesis 1-2, the psalm identifies the transcendent Creator ("God," v. 1) with the covenant God of Israel ("the Lord," vv. 7-9).
19:1-6 The Eloquent Heavens. These verses describe how features of the sky bear witness to their Maker; in so doing, the song directs attention to divine speech that goes out to all humanity. The ode to the sun (vv. 4c-6) follows from the opening, giving a very specific way in which the voice of the heavens is revealed to all mankind; the thought of its scorching heat leads to the next section, the searching and pure law of the Lord.
19:1 The heavens and the sky above (see ESV footnote) recall Genesis 1. The glory of God, i.e., his power, wisdom, and worthiness of honor and worship.
19:3 The speech here is that mentioned in v. 2a; its voice is not heard, i.e., all people receive it (although not all attend to it).
19:4 Paul uses these words in Rom. 10:18-19 (see note) to show that all the world has received some kind of message.
