The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
What does Psalms 19:1 mean?
The heavens so declare the glory of God, and proclaim his wisdom, power, and goodness, that all ungodly men are left without excuse.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside its immediate passage and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Psalms 19:1
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.
Key words
- heavens
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The heavens declare the glory of God,.
- declare
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The heavens declare the glory of God,.
- glory
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The heavens declare the glory of God,.
Context in Psalms 19
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Psalms 19 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as Book I. Psalms is the Bible’s great book of sung prayer, teaching the full range of faithful speech from anguish and repentance to jubilation and doxology. Read this chapter with the wider themes of prayer, praise, and lament in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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