salmo 19 - adam clarke commentary

8/11/2019 SALMO 19 - Adam Clarke Commentary

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Adam Clarke Commentary

Psalms 19

Introduction

The heavens and their host proclaim the majesty of God, Psalm 19:1-6; the excellenceand perfection of the Divine la, Psalm 19:!-1"; its #sef#lness, Psalm 19:11$ The

psalmist prays for pardon and preservation from sin, Psalm 19:1%,Psalm 19:1&; and thyhis 'ords and tho#(hts may )e holy, Psalm 19:1*$The title of this Psalm has nothin( partic#lar in it; )#t it is not very clear that it asritten )y David, to hom it is attri)#ted; tho#(h some thin+ that he composed it in theilderness, hile persec#ted )y a#l$ or this opinion, hoever, there is no solid(ro#nd$ There is no note in the Psalm itself to lead #s to +no hen, here, or )yhom it as ritten$ .t is a hi(hly finished and )ea#tif#l ode$Verse 1

The heavens declare the glory of God - /iterally, The heavens n#m)er o#t the (lory ofthe stron( God$ 0 first vie of the starry heavens stri+es every )eholder ithastonishment at the poer )y hich they ere made, and )y hich they are s#pported$

To find o#t the isdom and s+ill displayed in their contrivance re#ires a meas#re ofscience: )#t hen the vast ma(nit#de of the celestial )odies is considered, e feelincreasin( astonishment at these or+s of the stron( God$The firmament - The hole visi)le expanse; not only containin( the celestial )odiesa)ove referred to, )#t also the atr, li(ht, rains, des, etc$, etc$ 0nd hen the compositionof these principles is examined, and their (reat #tility to the earth and its inha)itants

properly #nderstood, they afford matter of astonishment to the isest mind, and ofadoration and (ratit#de even to the most #nfeelin( heart$Verse 2

ay unto day uttereth s!eech - 2ach day is represented as teachin( another relative tosome ne excellence discovered in these manifold or+s of God$ The ni(hts also, )ythe same fi(#re, are represented as (ivin( information to each other of the increase of+noled(e already (ained$3The la)ors of these o#r instr#cters +no no intermission; )#t they contin#e incessantlyto lect#re #s in the science of Divine isdom$ There is one (lory of the s#n, hichshines forth )y day; and there are other (lories of the moon and of the stars, hich

)ecome visi)le )y ni(ht$ 0nd )eca#se dayand nightinterchan(ea)ly divide the orld)eteen them, they are therefore represented as transmittin(, in s#ccession, each toother, the tas+ enjoined them, li+e the to parts of a choir, chantin( forth alternately the

praises ot God$4 - 5is)op orne$Verse "

There is no s!eech nor language #here their voice is not heard - /eave o#t theexpletives here, hich pervert the sense; and hat remains is a tolera)le translation ofthe ori(inal: -

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E5echol haarets yatsa +avvamclassFtranslitH )i+tsey the)el milleyhemI$3.nto all the earth hath (one o#t their so#nd; and to the extremity of the ha)ita)le orld,

their elo#ence$4
http://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:1-6&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:7-10&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:11&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:12&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:13&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:14&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:1-6&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:7-10&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:11&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:12&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:13&t1=en_nashttp://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Psalm+19:14&t1=en_nas


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The ord


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Verse (

)hich is as a *ridegroom+ etc, - This is a reference to the risin( of the s#n, as thefolloin( verse is to the settin($ e ma+es his appearance a)ove the hori^on ithsplendor and majesty; every creat#re seems to rejoice at his approach; and d#rin( thehole of his co#rse, thro#(h his hole circ#it, his apparent revol#tion from east to est,

and from one tropic to the same a(ain, no part of the earth is deprived of its properproportion of li(ht and heat$ The s#n is compared to a )ride(room in his ornaments,)eca#se of the (lory and splendo#r of his rays; and to a (iant or stron( man r#nnin( arace, )eca#se of the poer of his li(ht and heat$ The apparent motion of the s#n, in hisdi#rnal and ann#al pro(ress, are here )oth referred to$ _et )oth of these have )eendemonstrated to )e mere appearances$ The s#n`s di#rnal motion arises from the earth`srotation on its axis from est to east in tenty-three ho#rs, fifty-six min#tes, and fo#rseconds, the mean or e#al time hich elapses )eteen the to consec#tive meridian-transits of the same fixed star$ 5#t on acco#nt of the s#n`s apparent ecliptic motion inthe same direction, the earth m#st ma+e a)o#t the three h#ndred and sixty-fifth part of asecond revol#tion on its axis )efore any (iven point of the earth`s s#rface can )e a(ain

)ro#(ht into the same direction ith the s#n as )efore: so that the len(th of a nat#ral dayis tenty-fo#r ho#rs at a mean rate$ The apparent revol#tion of the s#n thro#(h thetelve constellations of the ^odiac in a sidereal year, is ca#sed )y the earth`s ma+in(one complete revol#tion in its or)it in the same time$ 0nd as the earth`s axis ma+es anan(le ith the axis of the ecliptic of a)o#t tenty-three de(rees and tenty ei(htmin#tes, and alays maintains its parallelism, i$e$, is alays directed to the same pointof the starry firmament; from these circ#mstances are prod#ced the re(#lar chan(e ofthe seasons, and contin#ally differin( len(ths of the days and ni(hts in all parts of theterra#eo#s (lo)e, except at the poles and on the e#ator$ 'hen e say that the earth`saxis is alays directed to the same point of the heavens, e mean to )e #nderstood onlyin a (eneral sense; for, oin( to a very slo deviation of the terrestrial axis from its

parallelism, named the precession of the e#inoctial points, hich )ecomes sensi)le inthe lapse of some years, and hich did not escape the o)servation of the ancientastronomers, ho clearly perceived that it as occasioned )y a slo revol#tion of thecelestial poles aro#nd the poles of the ecliptic, the complete revol#tion of the earth in itsor)it is lon(er than the nat#ral year, or the earth`s tropical revol#tion, )y a little morethan tenty min#tes; so that in tenty-five tho#sand seven h#ndred and sixtythreeentire terrestrial revol#tions ro#nd the s#n, the seasons ill )e reneed tenty-fivetho#sand seven h#ndred and sixty-fo#r times$ 0nd in half this period of telve tho#sandei(ht h#ndred and ei(hty-to nat#ral years, the points hich are no the north andso#th poles of the heavens, aro#nd hich the hole starry firmament appears to

revolve, ill descri)e circles a)o#t the then north and so#th poles of the heavens, thesemi-diameters of hich ill )e #pards of forty-seven de(rees$Coming out of his cham*er -


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means the preceptive part of Xevelation$ ome of the primitive fathers have mentionedthree /as (iven )y God to man:1$The la of nat#re, hich teaches the +noled(e of God, as to his eternal poer andDeity, )y the visi)le creation$%$The la (iven to oses and the prophets, hich teaches more perfectly the

+noled(e of God, his nat#re, his ill and o#r d#ty$&$The la of (race (iven )y Zhrist [es#s, hich shos the doctrine of the atonement, of

p#rification, and of the res#rrection of the )ody$The first is ritten in hiero(lyphics in the heavens and the earth$ The second asritten on ta)les of stone, and in many rites and ceremonies$ The third is to )e rittenon the heart )y the poer of the oly Ghost$Is !erfect - M8O EtemimahI, it is perfection, it is perfect in itself as a la, and re#ires

perfection in the hearts and lives of men$ This is .ts character$Converting the soul - T#rnin( it )ac+ to God$ Xestorin( it to ri(ht reason, or to a so#ndmind; teachin( it its on interest in reference to )oth orlds$ This is .ts #se$The testimony of the .ord - O


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The fear of the .ord - M8 EyirahI, from 8 EyaraI, to fear, to venerate; often p#t forthe hole of Divine orship$ The reverence e oe to the #preme 5ein($Is clean - M E)arahI, Esee a)oveI, to )e clean and )ri(ht as the heavens; as p#rified ilver$.ts o)ject is to p#r(e aay all defilement, to ma+e a spotless character$

nduring for ever - O?


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7rom !resum!tuous sins - ins committed not thro#(h frailty or s#rprise, )#t thosehich are the offsprin( of tho#(ht, p#rpose, and deli)eration$ ins a(ainst j#d(ment,li(ht, and conscience$ The ords mi(ht )e translated, Preserve thy servant also from the

pro#d; from tyrannical (overnors, i$e$, from evil spirits - 5ishop orsley$ o most of theversions #nderstand the place$

.et them not have dominion over me - /et me never )e )ro#(ht into a ha)it ofsinnin($ e ho sins pres#mpt#o#sly ill soon )e hardened thro#(h the deceitf#lnessof sin$Then shall I *e u!right - /et me )e preserved from all the evil that the craft and maliceof the devil or man or+ a(ainst me, then shall . contin#e to al+ #pri(htly, and shall

)e innocent from the (reat trans(ression - from ha)it#al sinnin(, from apostasy, frommy easily-)esettin( sin$ e ho o#ld )e innocent from the (reat trans(ression, m#stta+e care that he ind#l(e not himself in any$ ee 5ishop orne$ ost men havecommitted some partic#lar sin hich they o#(ht to deplore as lon( as they )reathe, andon acco#nt of the enormity of hich they sho#ld for ever )e h#m)led$Verse 18

.et the #ords of my mouth - e has prayed a(ainst practical sin, the sins of the )ody;no, a(ainst the sins of the mo#th and of the heart$ /et my mo#th spea+ nothin( )#that is tr#e, +ind, and profita)le; and my heart meditate nothin( )#t hat is holy, p#re,and chaste$Acce!ta*le in thy sight - /i+e a sacrifice itho#t spot or )lemish, offered #p ith a

perfect heart to God$ .ord+ my strength - 8


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Psalm 19

:atural $evelation

o God reveals himself thro#(h his orld, thro#(h nat#re$o Qerse 1 and % mentions the heavens, the day, ni(ht, etc$ e says that they are

tellin( of Gods (lory, )#t then he adds in verse & that they do this itho#t act#al

speech$o Qerse * shos #s that nat#ral revelation reaches every place on earth, therefore it

reaches every person$o . thin+ the ima(ery in verse ] is sayin( that nat#ral revelation is dominatin( and

poerf#l$ .t cannot )e i(nored$ _o# have to respond to it$ Xomans 1:1Y echoes that$ 'eill disc#ss that passa(e later$

o Qerse 6 shos #s that no)ody escapes the s#n$ 2ven if yo# are )lind and cannotsee it, yo# still feel the heat$ 0ltho#(h it has no voice Evs &I, people still experience it$0nd yo#ve (ot to as+ the #estion, o did it (et there The story is told of a ayan+in( ho orshipped the s#n #ntil he reali ed that the s#n co#ldnt )e (od )eca#se itas sometimes hidden )y the clo#ds$ .t made him onder ho as (od$

o Jotice ho Ps 19says the heavens are tellin( his (lory$ This is present tense for#s$ pecial revelation, cript#re, has ceased, )#t the nat#ral revelation contin#es$ 'ecan receive nat#ral revelation fresh, daily$There are to ays e receive nat#ral revelation$1, A!!reciation

The first ay is appreciation for hat God has made$Illustration&There is somethin( a)o#t (ettin( off a s+i lift in the Xoc+ies or the iss0lps, t#rnin( aro#nd and experiencin( the )reathta+in( vie from hat seems to )e thetop of the orld, or al+in( alon( the )each alone early in the mornin( as the s#n iscomin( #p over the ocean, or sc#)a divin( in the Zari))ean ith tho#sands of m#lti-

colored fish simmin( aro#nd yo# $$$ that ca#ses #s to say, 3Theres (ot to )e more thanme -- a desi(ner of all this variety, a desi(ner of all this )ea#ty, a desi(ner of life$ 'hene notice thin(s li+e that and pa#se to thin+ a)o#t them, e are experiencin( nat#ralrevelation$A!!lication&The #estion e need to as+ o#rselves is this: ave . received anyrevelation today _o# can receive and experience nat#ral revelation first hand$ Joticeit said, there is no speech nor are there ords$ .t is all non-ver)al comm#nication$ .t isvis#al$ 'hat e need to do is to stop and smell the roses$2, *servation

The second ay e receive nat#ral revelation is thro#(h st#dyin( hat God has made$This is the h#man o)servation of nat#ral events$ cientists do this$ Psycholo(ists do

this$ X#sh /im)a#(h does it$ 0vera(e people do this$ 0ll of them are capa)le of ma+in(tr#e statements to descri)e a phenomenon$ They also ma+e mista+es$Illustration: .f an #n)eliever is at a soccer (ame for six year olds and he sees the coachyellin( at some child, and he says 3that coach sho#ldnt do that$4 e has j#st made aval#e j#d(ment$ .s his val#e j#d(ment tr#e _es$ .s it )i)lical _es$ Did he (et it fromthe 5i)le Jo$A!!lication: 'hat e m#st do is inte(rate o#r o)servations and the o)servations ofothers ith cript#re$ 'hen a scientist anno#nces a discovery or hypothesis, e m#stchec+ it a(ainst cript#re$ [#st this ee+ . heard that an anthropolo(ist #ncovered themissin( lin+ hich proves that e evolved from 0frican apes$ . dont )elieve him

)eca#se cript#re says God created man$

'hen a psycholo(ist ma+es a statement a)o#t h#man )ehavior, e dont a#tomaticallyaccept it )eca#se he is a psycholo(ist$ .n fact, many Zhristians o#ld )e li+ely to
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disco#nt it a#tomatically )eca#se he is a psycholo(ist$ .ve )een readin( a )oo+ latelythat )ashes several pop#lar Zhristian psycholo(ists$ The a#thors of the )oo+ are of theopinion that if a psycholo(ist added %k% he o#ld )e incapa)le of ever comin( #p iththe anser 3*$4 5#t that is not fair$ Psycholo(ists can discover tr#th$ Jot )eca#se oftheir system of psycholo(y, )#t )eca#se they spend years o)servin( people and

disc#ssin( their pro)lems$ They are )o#nd to )e(in reco(ni^in( certain patterns of)ehavior, styles of relatin(, etc$ 'hat e m#st do is chec+ hat the psycholo(ist saysa(ainst cript#re$p#r(eon says, 'e have a 5i)le hich is lar(e eno#(h to )e a perfect li)rary, andhich is also so compact that e can carry it a)o#t ith #s herever e (o$ e isri(ht$ 0nd . (#arantee that yo# co#ld find the same anser in cript#re that a Zhristian

psycholo(ist li+e [ames Do)son or /arry Zra)) mi(ht (ive Eass#min( they are (ivin(correct ansersI$ 5#t the cript#res spea+ in condensed lan(#a(e$ They do not spea+exha#stively on everythin($or example: 'hen God says in [eremiah %:1&, 3y people have committed to sins:They have forsa+en me, the sprin( of livin( ater, and have d#( their on cisterns,

)ro+en cisterns that cannot hold ater$4 That is a condensed, ord pict#re of hat isreally (oin( on$ .t is tr#e$ 5#t does it descri)es me ave . forsa+en God /arry Zra))has ritten that )ro+en cisterns can )e a persons style of relatin( that he has developedto try to ma+e life or+$ .t mi(ht )e manip#latin( people, or an(er, or ille(itimaterelationships, or any n#m)er of thin(s$ .f a Zhristian psycholo(ist rites a )oo+ thatdescri)es all the 3)ro+en cisterns4 that he has o)served over the co#rse of several yearsof co#nselin(, it can )e very helpf#l to reco(ni^in( sinf#l patterns in my on life$ ehas discovered tr#th$ 0nd . can )enefit from his research$30ll tr#th is Gods tr#th4 is a statement e have to #nderstand$ .f somethin( is tr#e, it istr#e$ 'e m#st chec+ it a(ainst the special revelation of God to see if it is$ That )rin(s #sto the next part of the Psalm$3!ecial $evelation ;19&-9

salmo 19 - adam clarke commentary

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