Psa. 19:0 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
This is another psalm (song) that David has given to the head musician, the director of music, at the Temple.
Psa. 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
The heavens (the sky and ALL the celestial bodies) declare (celebrate, show forth) the glory (splendor, copiousness/richness) of God. The second phrase is a poetic rephrasing of the first with an added reference to God as the Creator of all that is seen in the heavens.
Spurgeon: “It is not merely glory that the heavens declare, but the ‘glory of God,’ for they deliver to us such unanswerable arguments for a conscious, intelligent, planning, controlling, and presiding Creator, that no unprejudiced person can remain unconvinced by them.”
Psa. 19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
Psa. 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Continually, from sunset to sunset, the heavens declare the power, majesty and knowledge of God. The word for knowledge includes more than just knowing facts; it includes the power to instruct, to make known, and to give understanding. In reference to verse one, the instruction and revelation being given is about Almighty God. Whereas we humans communicate through the language of words, the Almighty can reveal Himself to us through the wonder, majesty and amazing design of His creation. He doesn’t just use Hebrew or English or French or ; the declaration of His creation is universally understood.
I am reminded of Paul’s words to the Romans.
Romans 1:19–20 “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse….”
Ironside: “There is no conflict whatever between the testimony of nature and the testimony of the Word of God. Men have often tried to put nature and the Bible in opposition the one to the other; have insisted that the Bible is not scientific and that science is not biblical. But the fact scientific and the truth biblical never contradict one another.”
Wiersbe: “Creation is a ‘wordless book’ that everybody can read because it needs no translation.”
Spurgeon: “The lesson of day and night is one which it were well if all men learned. It should be among our day-thoughts and night-thoughts, to remember the flight of time, the changeful character of earthly things, the brevity both of joy and sorrow, the preciousness of life, our utter powerlessness to recall the hours once flown, and the irresistible approach of eternity.”
Psa. 19:4 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,
Psa. 19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
Psa. 19:6 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.
The word for line includes the idea of being measured and connected. I think David is saying that the heavens have been designed with purpose for the good of planet earth and its inhabitants. The dominant body of the heavens is the sun. The sun rises in the morning with a brilliance that David compares to the joy reflected in the face of a bridegroom embracing a new day and to a runner who is strong and confident in his ability to win the race. The rising and setting of the sun are continual and dependable from day to day. Everything on planet earth is affected by the heat of the sun.
Spurgeon: “Jesus, like a sun, dwells in the midst of revelation, tabernacling among men in all his brightness; rejoicing, as the Bridegroom of his church, to reveal himself to men; and, like a champion, to win unto himself renown. He makes a circuit of mercy, blessing the remotest corners of the earth; and there are no seeking souls, however degraded and depraved, who shall be denied the comfortable warmth and benediction of his love….”
Psa. 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
As David contemplates the heavens and how they are a reflection of the wisdom and design of their Creator, he automatically makes a jump to the wisdom and dependability of God’s purposes for man. God gives us His law, His commandments, for a purpose—to bring man back into fellowship with Him. Everything contained in the law (the whole of God’s word) represents truth. The Hebrew for the word sure included the idea of a parent nurturing and building up a child. God’s testimony, His witness, His word, is meant to nurture us and build us up to be wise in mind, word, and action—a people who are no longer deceived by the enemy and slaves to our sin nature.
Spurgeon: “God's witness in his Word is so sure that we may draw solid comfort from it both for time and eternity, and so sure that no attacks made upon it however fierce or subtle can ever weaken its force.”
Wiersbe: “The ‘simple’ are not mentally deficient people or the naive people who believe everything, but the childlike people who humbly receive God’s truth.”
Matthew 11:25 “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
Psa. 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
God gives us guidelines for living that are right and just; they are meant to bring us joy and pleasure. God isn’t sitting up in the heavens trying to think of ways to make our life miserable; He takes pleasure in our happiness. His words and guidelines are meant to protect us and enrich our enjoyment of life. Every command of God is intended for our well-being and to bring a shine of joy to our eyes.
John Bunyan: “This Book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this Book.”
Psa. 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
The fear of the Lord is evidenced by our attitude and actions that recognize God for Who He Is as LORD—all-powerful, seeing everything, knowing everything, worthy of our praise and worship. When we fear the Lord, we will choose to be morally clean/pure in our thoughts, words, and deeds—a mindset that will extend into eternity. To fear the LORD is to reverence Him and stand in awe before Him.
Every decree or judgment of God is certain, trustworthy, and morally right.
Psa. 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psa. 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
David is saying that we should desire to possess and live by the law of the LORD and the words of the LORD in fear of the LORD more than we desire gold (earthly treasure) or the taste of honey (earthly delights). Why? Because they provide enlightenment and teaching that result in great eternal reward when heeded. This implies a reward of greater treasure and delight than earthly things could ever provide.
Wiersbe: “The way we treat the Bible is the way we treat the LORD, so it isn’t difficult to determine if we are rightly related to God.”
Psa. 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Psa. 19:13 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.
As David continues to meditate, his thoughts turn back to himself. He doesn’t want his life to be full of mistakes or hidden sins. He wants God to forgive him and wash him clean from the sins in his life of which he is ignorant—or maybe this is a reference to sins that he has tried to hide from everyone else, but he knows are not hidden from God. David also recognizes that he needs God’s help to keep him from presumptuous sin that results from pride, a powerful influence in our lives. He doesn’t want pride to rule his choices and actions. David knows that only with God’s enablement can he live a life that is pleasing to God—a life that is free of rebellion and sinful practices.
I am reminded of the words of Jesus recorded by John.
John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Spurgeon: “The transgressions which we see and confess are but like the farmer's small samples which he brings to market, when he has left his granary full at home. We have but a very few sins which we can observe and detect, compared with those which are hidden from ourselves and unseen by our fellow-creatures.”
Psa. 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
David closes by expressing a desire for the words of his mouth and the meditation and thoughts of his heart to delight and bring pleasure to God (from the Hebrew for acceptable). David claims YHWH, the God of Israel, as his strength (rock, refuge) and his redeemer (deliverer).
This verse is ever a prayer of my heart.
Wiersbe: “The words we speak begin with the thoughts in our hearts, so it’s important that we meditate on God’s Word and God’s works, the first two themes of Psalm 19.”
I can’t help but think of the words of an old hymn:
O Lord my god! When I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands have made. I see the stars; I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee; How great Thou art! How great Thou art! --Carl Boberg
Psalms 20:0 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
This is identified as a psalm of David that he sent to the chief Musician at the temple to use in praise to the LORD God of Israel. It’s a song of praise expressing faith and confidence in the LORD God of Israel.
Many commentators see this psalm as prophetic of Jesus. I thought Guzik’s summary said it best: “With the eye of faith, we see that this also speaks to the great battle fought by one greater than King David – by Jesus, the Son of David and the King of Kings. We can see this prayer being offered prophetically for Jesus as He pointed Himself toward the cross, where He would fight the greatest battle against sin, death, and Satan’s power.”
Ironside: “It is an interesting fact that very frequently in the book of Psalms the last verse of one Psalm is a key to the next one. We see that right here. The last verse of Psalm 19 ends up with the words, ‘O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer,’ and the 20th Psalm celebrates the strength and the redemption of our God. Then in the same way the last verse of the 20th Psalm says, ‘Save, Lord: let the King hear us when we call.’ And the 21st Psalm is the Psalm of the King in His glory. It begins, ‘The king shall joy in Thy strength, O Lord.’”
Psalms 20:1 ¶ The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
Psalms 20:2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
Psalms 20:3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
The song starts with words that encourage the people to call on the LORD in times of trouble, to place their trust in the God of Jacob. Implicit in that encouragement is that they maintain a position of fellowship with God by keeping covenant with Him and trying to live in obedience to His commandments. When they are in right relationship to the LORD, David knows that they can count on God’s help both spiritually (from the sanctuary) and physically (out of Zion). He knows that God will keep His covenant with them if they are faithful to honor Him with their offerings and burnt sacrifices in accordance with His command.
Spurgeon: “By ‘the name' is meant the revealed character and Word of God; we are not to worship ‘the unknown God,’ but we should seek to know the covenant God of Jacob, who has been pleased to reveal his name and attributes to his people.”
Selah = pause and meditate on the words you just sang
Spurgeon: “It is well to pause at the cross before we march onward to battle, and with the psalmist cry ‘Selah.’”
Psalms 20:4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
I like the CJB for this verse: “May he grant you your heart’s desire and bring all your plans to success.”
Scripture is clear in declaring that God will grant our desires and give us success when we place our faith in Him as we acknowledge Him as our LORD, when we align our will with His will.
Psalms 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
The timing and the manner in which the LORD grants those desires and gives that success may not always be according to our expectation, but our faith and obedience will never go unrewarded.
John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Colossians 3:23–24 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance….”
Psalms 20:5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
David is expressing confidence in gaining the victory if they go out with faith in confidence of God’s provision. The flag they carry is a message to the enemy that they fight in the name of the LORD God of Israel, a God that answers the prayers of His people.
Psalms 20:6 ¶ Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
David is confident that as God’s anointed one, he can count on God’s strength to give him deliverance—as is true for every child of God, each of whom is anointed to serve Him in truth with a whole heart.
2 Corinthians 1:21–22 “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”
1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”
Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Psalms 20:8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
David recognizes that their enemies trust in the strength of chariots and horses when they go to war. Israel, however, was different; they went out trusting in the strength and authority of the LORD “our” God. The chariots and horses of the enemy are no match for the LORD, and he is confident that they will emerge victorious.
Spurgeon: “The most dreaded war-engine of David's day was the war-chariot, armed with scythes, which mowed down men like grass: this was the boast and glory of the neighbouring nations; but the saints considered the name of Jehovah to be a far better defence. As the Israelites might not keep horses, it was natural for them to regard the enemy's calvary with more than usual dread. It is, therefore, all the greater evidence of faith that the bold songster can here disdain even the horse of Egypt in comparison with the Lord of hosts.”
Psalms 20:9 Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.
David closes the song with a prayer for the LORD, their true king, to save them and hear their prayer.