Psalm-19-Revelations
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Re Tanakh
versions:
Throughout this site I may use any of
three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish
Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions, However, the
JPS-1917 is my preferred version!
Colour coded
details of our beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah =
History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot,
or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of
Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history
of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have
been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), having been corrected like it once was pre
the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy
4:2. (JPS-1917).
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Psalm 19 is a masterpiece of Hebrew poetry..
With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
We are going to look into Psalm 19, and we continue to various sections of this ‘Psalm
of David’ (verse 1).
Now we will
read verse 2, in Hebrew and English: (All verses were sourced from the JPS-1917
version).
הַשָּׁמַיִם,
מְסַפְּרִים
כְּבוֹד-אֵל;
וּמַעֲשֵׂה
יָדָיו,
מַגִּיד
הָרָקִי
“The heavens declare the glory of אֵל - Elohim, and the firmament showeth His handiwork”.
Next we will
read verses 8, 9 & 10.
תּוֹרַת
יְהוָה
תְּמִימָה,
מְשִׁיבַת
נָפֶשׁ;
עֵדוּת יְהוָה
נֶאֱמָנָה,
מַחְכִּימַת
פֶּתִי
פִּקּוּדֵי
יְהוָה
יְשָׁרִים,
מְשַׂמְּחֵי-לֵב;
מִצְוַת
יְהוָה
בָּרָה,
מְאִירַת
עֵינָיִם
יִרְאַת
יְהוָה,
טְהוֹרָה-עוֹמֶדֶת
לָעַד: מִשְׁפְּטֵי-יְהוָה
אֱמֶת;
צָדְקוּ
יַחְדָּו
“The law of יְהוָה - the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of יְהוָה - the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of יְהוָה - the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of יְהוָה - the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of יְהוָה - the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of יְהוָה - the LORD are true, they are righteous altogether”.
Finally it is
verse 15:
יִהְיוּ
לְרָצוֹן
אִמְרֵי-פִי,
וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי
לְפָנֶיךָ
יְהוָה,
צוּרִי
וְגֹאֲלִי
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before Thee, O יְהוָה - LORD, my Rock, and my Redeemer”.
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Summing up this entire chapter:
Psalm 19 is a magnificent masterpiece of Hebrew poetry; it is often
praised as one of the ‘finest literary’ and ‘spiritual compositions’ in our
scriptural text. It beautifully bridges the gap between general revelation (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim revealing Himself through nature) and special
revelation (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim revealing Himself through His written Word and
Law), culminating in a deeply personal prayer of devotion.
Building upon
the verses that has already selected above, all from the Jewish Publication
Society - JPS-1917 version, we can expand your study further into the
structure, themes, and remaining verses of this chapter.
Let us
commence with verse 2, and then continue throughout this remarkable Psalm!
Phase 1: The Book of Nature, Creation’s Silent Testimony (Verses 1-6)
So far we have read
verse 2, which sits right at the heart of what I call the ‘the first movement’.
Verse 1: “For the Leader. A Psalm of David”.
Verse 2: “The heavens declare the glory of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, and the firmament showeth His handiwork”.
Verses 3-4: “Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night revealeth knowledge; there is no speech, there are no words, their voice is not heard”.
Verses 5-6: “Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. In them hath He set a tent for the sun...”
Study Insights:
Continuous
Proclamation:
Notice the active participles in Hebrew (mesapperim - “telling/recounting”,
maggid - “proclaiming”). The heavens are not just a static painting; they are
in a continual, unending act of worship, broadcasting אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s glory day after day and night after night.
A Universal
Language: Verses 3-4
emphasize that this sermon preached by the cosmos requires no spoken words or
human language (“there is no speech, there are no words”), yet it crosses all
cultural and geographical boundaries to reach the entire world (Verse 5).
Phase 2: The Book of the
Law - Divine Perfection (Verses 7-11).
Having shared the rich sequence of verses 8, 9, and 10, which form the
core of the second movement.
Verse 7: “The law of יְהוָה - the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul...” This serves as the thematic introduction to this section.
Verses 8–10: The six glorious attributes of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s word:
Torah (Law): Temimah (Perfect). Restoring (meshiyat) the soul.
Edut (Testimony): Ne’emanah (Sure/Trustworthy). Making wise (machqimat) the simple (pethi).
Piqudim (Precepts): Yesharim (Right), Rejoicing (mesamchei) the heart.
Mitzvah (Commandment): Barah (Pure), Enlightening (me’irat) the eyes.
Yirat (Fear of יְהוָה - the LORD): Tahorah (Clean), Enduring forever!
Mishpatim (Ordinances): Emet (True), Righteous altogether.
Verse 11: “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb”.
Study Insights:
The Transition: In the first half (v. 1-6), אֱלֹהִים - Elohim is referred to as אֵל - ‘El’ (the universal Creator). But beginning with verse 7, the Psalm shifts to the covenant attribute of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, and the Name, יְהוָה - the LORD, marking a shift from cosmic creation to intimate, revealed instruction.
Synonyms for the Word: The Psalmist (King David) uses six different Hebrew terms (‘Torah’, ‘Edut’, ‘Piqudim’, ‘Mitzvah’, ‘Yirah’, ‘Mishpatim’) to paint a complete picture of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s instruction, showing that Divine Law is multifaceted, it ‘instructs the mind’, ‘gladdens the heart’, ‘purifies the vision’, and outlasts temporal wealth.
Phase 3: The Response of the Heart. Confession and
Consecration (Verses 12-14)
Bridging this
study up to the final verse, these verses deal with human frailty and the
desire for purity.
Verse 12: “Moreover by them is Thy servant warned; in keeping of them there is great reward”.
Verse 13: “Who can discern his errors? Clear Thou me from hidden faults”.
Verse 14: “Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me; then shall I be upright, and I shall be clear from great transgression”.
Study Insights:
Self-Examination: Realizing the perfection of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s
law (v. 7-10) naturally leads the worshipper to examine their own flaws. The
Hebrew word for errors (shegiot / unintentional sins) contrasts with zedim
(presumptuous, willful sins in v. 14).
The Plea for Freedom: The prayer is not just for forgiveness, but
for liberation—“let them not have dominion over me” recognizing that sin acts
as a master unless grace intervenes.
Phase 4: The
Verse 15: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before Thee, O יְהוָה - LORD, my Rock, and my Redeemer”.
Study Insights:
Holistic Integrity: Notice the symmetry between speech (im’rei’fi - words of my mouth) and thought (hegyon libi - meditation of my heart). True worship aligns what we say publicly with what we meditate on privately.
Intimate Titles: The Psalm
begins with the vast expanse of the heavens declaring אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, but it ends with a deeply personal
relationship: ‘Tzuri’ (My Rock, implying stability and refuge) and Go’ali (My
Redeemer, implying a kinsman-redeemer who buys back and saves).
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This site was originally
created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith.
Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day
(if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים -
Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him,
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Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following through a number of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto
you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”
Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
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שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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