God & Savior

Psalm 19:1

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Psalm 19:1
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Study notes

The heavens and skies constantly tell of God's glory and the work of His hands.

Explanation

Psalm 19 speaks of two ways God makes Himself known: through creation (19:1-6) and through His written word (19:7-11). Here the sky is pictured as a voice that never stops declaring how great its Maker is.

Original language
  • הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם (ha.sha.Ma.yim): heaven
    Hebrew · Definite article + Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · Strong's H8064 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    The heavens: the sky.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 19:1, word 1

  • מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים (me.sa.pe.Rim): to recount
    Hebrew · Verb, piel, participle (active), masculine, plural, absolute · Strong's H5608A · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Recounting, telling.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 19:1, word 2

  • כְּבֽוֹד־ (ke.Vod-): glory
    Hebrew · Noun, masculine, singular, construct · Strong's H3519 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Glory: weight, splendour, honour.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 19:1, word 3

  • הָרָקִֽיעַ (ha.ra.Ki.a'): expanse
    Hebrew · Definite article + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · Strong's H7549 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Firmament: the expanse of the sky.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 19:1, word 8

Cross-references
  • Romans 1:20 · Same theme

    God's power and nature are seen in what He has made.

  • Psalm 8:3-4 · Same theme

    When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers.

  • Psalm 19:7 · Surrounding passage

    The second half of the psalm: God's law.

Sources

Original language and places

Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.

Original language (Hebrew)

הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים כְּבֽוֹד־אֵ֑ל וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דָ֗יו מַגִּ֥יד הָרָקִֽיעַ׃

  1. הַשָּׁמַ֗יִםha.sha.Ma.yim“the heavens”
    Definite article + Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from שָׁמַיִם · “heaven” · Strong's H8064
  2. מְֽסַפְּרִ֥יםme.sa.pe.Rim“[are] recounting”
    Verb, piel, participle (active), masculine, plural, absolute · from סָפַר · “to recount” · Strong's H5608A
  3. כְּבֽוֹד־ke.Vod-“[the] glory of”
    Noun, masculine, singular, construct · from כָּבוֹד · “glory” · Strong's H3519
  4. אֵ֑ל'El“God”
    Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from אֵל · “God” · Strong's H0410G
  5. וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥הu.ma.'a.Seh“and [the] work of”
    Conjunction + Noun, masculine, singular, construct · from מַעֲשֶׂה · “work” · Strong's H4639G
  6. יָ֝דָ֗יוya.Dav“hands his”
    Noun, both genders, dual, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from יָד · “hand” · Strong's H3027G
  7. מַגִּ֥ידma.Gid“[is] telling”
    Verb, hiphil, participle (active), masculine, singular, absolute · from נָגַד · “to tell” · Strong's H5046
  8. הָרָקִֽיעַ׃ha.ra.Ki.a'“the firmament”
    Definite article + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from רָקִיעַ · “expanse” · Strong's H7549
  • Prepared by the God & Savior team. Not yet reviewed by an editor.
  • Hebrew and Aramaic words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)