Psalms 19:1

King James Version

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.

English Revised Version
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Update Bible Version
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows his handiwork.

New Century Version

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies announce what his hands have made.

New English Translation

For the music director; a psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork.

Webster's Bible Translation
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth the work of his hands.

World English Bible
<> The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork.

Amplified Bible
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands.

English Standard Version

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The title of the eiytenthe salm. To victorie, the salm of Dauid. Heuenes tellen out the glorie of God; and the firmament tellith the werkis of hise hondis.

Berean Standard Bible
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Contemporary English Version

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done.

American Standard Version

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament showeth his handiwork.

Bible in Basic English
The heavens are sounding the glory of God; the arch of the sky makes clear the work of his hands.

Complete Jewish Bible
For the leader. A psalm of David:

Darby Translation

To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the expanse sheweth the work of his hands.

Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: A song of David.

The heavens tell about the glory of God. The skies announce what his hands have made.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
For the Leader. A Psalm of David.

King James Version (1611)
[To the chiefe Musician, A Psalme of Dauid.] The heauens declare the glory of God: and the firmament sheweth his handy worke.

New Life Bible
The heavens are telling of the greatness of God and the great open spaces above show the work of His hands.

New Revised Standard

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

Geneva Bible (1587)
To him that excelleth. A Psalme of Dauid. The heauens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth ye worke of his hands.

George Lamsa Translation
THE heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.

Good News Translation
How clearly the sky reveals God's glory! How plainly it shows what he has done!

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The heavens, are telling the glory of GOD, And, the work of his hands, the expanse is declaring;

Douay-Rheims Bible
(18-1) <Unto the end. A Psalm Chapter for David.> (18-2) The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.

Revised Standard Version
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The heauens declare the glorie of God: and the firmament sheweth his handy worke.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.

Christian Standard Bible®
The heavens declare the glory of God,and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands.

Hebrew Names Version
<> The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork.

Lexham English Bible

For the music director. A psalm of David.

The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.

Literal Translation
To the chief musician. A Psalm of David. The heavens are recounting the glory of God, and the expanse proclaiming His handiwork.

Young's Literal Translation
To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. The heavens [are] recounting the honour of God, And the work of His hands The expanse [is] declaring.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The very heaues declare the glory off God, ad the very firmamet sheweth his hadye worke.

THE MESSAGE
A David Psalm God's glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening.

New American Standard Bible
The heavens tell of the glory of God; And their expanse declares the work of His hands.

New King James Version
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.

New American Standard Bible (1995)

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Legacy Standard Bible
The heavens are telling of the glory of God;And the expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Contextual Overview

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. ² Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. ³ There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 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, ⁵ Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

The heavens: Psalms 8:3, Psalms 33:6, Psalms 115:16, Psalms 148:3, Psalms 148:4, Isaiah 40:22-26, Jeremiah 10:11, Jeremiah 10:12, Romans 1:19, Romans 1:20

the firmament: Rakeea, from raka, to stretch out, the expanse, not only containing the celestial bodies, but also the air, light, rain, dews, etc., all of which display the infinite power and wisdom of their Almighty Creator. Psalms 150:1, Psalms 150:2, Genesis 1:6-8, Genesis 1:14, Genesis 1:15, Daniel 12:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:31 - very good 1 Chronicles 16:31 - Let the heavens Job 28:27 - he prepared it Job 36:24 - which Psalms 28:5 - operation Psalms 74:16 - prepared Psalms 89:5 - heavens Psalms 96:6 - Honour Psalms 97:6 - The heavens Psalms 111:3 - honourable Psalms 145:10 - All thy Isaiah 6:3 - the whole earth Isaiah 40:21 - General Isaiah 40:26 - Lift Jeremiah 31:35 - which giveth Acts 14:17 - he left Acts 17:27 - they Hebrews 1:10 - the works James 1:17 - from the

Cross-References

Genesis 18:22
And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord .

Genesis 19:1
And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

Genesis 19:5
And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

Job 31:32
The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

Hebrews 13:2
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The heavens declare the glory of God,.... By which we are to understand not the heavens literally taken, though these with the firmament are the handiworks of God, and do declare the glory of his perfections, especially his wisdom and power; these show that there is a God, and that he is a glorious one: but either Gospel churches, often signified by the kingdom of heaven, in the New Testament; the members of them being heaven-born souls, and the doctrines and ordinances ministered among them being from heaven; and there being a very great resemblance between them and heaven, in the company and communion enjoyed in them; and who declare the glory of the divine perfections, which is very great in the handiwork of their redemption; and who ascribe the glory of their whole salvation to God: or rather the apostles and first preachers of the word, as appears from Romans 10:18; who were set in the highest place in the church; had their commission, doctrine, and success from heaven; and who may be called by this name, because of the purity and solidity of their ministry, and their constancy and steadfastness in it, and because of their heavenly lives and conversations: these declared the glory of the divine perfections; such as those particularly of grace, goodness, and mercy, which are not discoverable by the light of nature or law of Moses, as, they are displayed in the salvation of men by Christ, in the forgiveness of their sins, the justification of their persons, and the gift of eternal life unto them: they taught men to ascribe the glory of salvation to God alone, Father, Son, and Spirit; they set forth in their ministry the glory of Christ, of his person, and of his offices and grace; and they showed that redemption was his handiwork, as follows:

and the firmament showeth his handiwork; for the same persons may be called the firmament, since they that are wise are said to shine as the brightness of it, Daniel 12:3. These were like to stars in it, and were the light of the world, and declared that redemption is the work which Christ undertook, and came into this world to perform, and which he has finished; his hands have wrought it, and his own arm has brought salvation to him. The Targum interprets the heavens and the firmament, of such persons as contemplate the heavens, and look upon the firmament or air; and so do some other Jewish writers w.

w Jarchi & Kimchi in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The heavens declare the glory of God - They announce, proclaim, make known his glory. The word heavens here refers to the material heavens as they appear to the eye - the region of the sun, moon, and stars. The Hebrew word is used in the Scriptures uniformly in the plural number, though in our common translation the singular number is often used. Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:8-9, Genesis 1:14, Genesis 1:17, Genesis 1:20; Genesis 6:17; Genesis 7:11, Genesis 7:19, Genesis 7:23; et soepe. The plural, however, is often retained, but without any special reason why it should be retained in one place rather than in another. Genesis 2:1, Genesis 2:4; Deuteronomy 10:14; Ezra 9:6; Psalms 2:4; Psalms 8:1, Psalms 8:3; Psalms 18:13. The original idea may have been that there was one heaven above another - one in which the sun was placed, another in which the moon was placed, then the planets, the fixed stars, etc. Above all was supposed to be the place where God dwells. The word glory here means that which constitutes the glory or honor of God - his wisdom, power, skill, faithfulness, benevolence, as seen in the starry worlds above us, the silent, but solemn movements by day and by night. The idea is, that these convey to the mind a true impression of the greatness and majesty of God. The reference here is to these heavens as they appear to the naked eye, and as they are observed by all men. It may be added that the impression is far more solemn and grand when we take into the estimate the disclosures of the modern astronomy, and when we look at the heavens, not merely by the naked eye, but through the revelations of the telescope.

And the firmament - See the note at Daniel 12:3. The word rendered firmament - רקיע râqı̂ya‛, means properly “an expanse” - that which is spread out - and is applied to the heavens as they appear to be spread out or expanded above us. The word occurs elsewhere in the following places, and is always rendered “firmament” in our common version, Genesis 1:6, Genesis 1:7 (twice), Genesis 1:8, Genesis 1:14, Genesis 1:15, Genesis 1:17, Genesis 1:20; Psalms 150:1; Ezekiel 1:22-23, Ezekiel 1:25-26; Ezekiel 10:1; Daniel 12:3. The word “firmament” - that which is firm or fixed - is taken from the word used by the translators of the Septuagint, στερέωμα stereōma, from the idea that the heavens above us are a solid concave. In the Scriptures the stars are represented as placed in that expanse, so that if it should be rolled together as a tent is rolled up, they would fall down to the earth. See the note at Isaiah 34:4. The reference in the passage before us is to the heavens as they appear to be spread out over our heads, and in which the stars are fixed.

Showeth his handywork - The heavens make known the work of his hands. The idea is that God had made those heavens by his own hands, and that the firmament, thus adorned with sun, and moon, and stars, showed the wisdom and skill with which it was done. Compare Psalms 8:3.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

PSALM XIX

The heavens and their host proclaim the majesty of God, 1-6;

the excellence and perfection of the Divine law, 7-10;

its usefulness, 11.

The psalmist prays for pardon and preservation from sin, 12, 13;

and thy his Words and thoughts may be holy, 14.

NOTES ON PSALM XIX

The title of this Psalm has nothing particular in it; but it is not very clear that it was written by David, to whom it is attributed; though some think that he composed it in the wilderness, while persecuted by Saul. For this opinion, however, there is no solid ground. There is no note in the Psalm itself to lead us to know when, where, or by whom it was written. It is a highly finished and beautiful ode.

Verse Psalms 19:1. The heavens declare the glory of God — Literally, The heavens number out the glory of the strong God. A first view of the starry heavens strikes every beholder with astonishment at the power by which they were made, and by which they are supported. To find out the wisdom and skill displayed in their contrivance requires a measure of science: but when the vast magnitude of the celestial bodies is considered, we feel increasing astonishment at these works of the strong God.

The firmament — The whole visible expanse; not only containing the celestial bodies above referred to, but also the air, light, rains, dews, &c., &c. And when the composition of these principles is examined, and their great utility to the earth and its inhabitants properly understood, they afford matter of astonishment to the wisest mind, and of adoration and gratitude even to the most unfeeling heart.