For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by Dawud1.
1The heavens declare the glory of God.
The expanse shows his handiwork.
2Day after day they pour forth speech,
And night after night they display knowledge.
3There is no speech nor language,
Where their voice is not heard.
4Their sound has gone out through all the earth,
Their words to the end of the world.2
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
Like a strong man rejoicing to run his course.
6His going forth is from the end of the heavens,
His circuit to its ends;
There is nothing hidden from its heat.
7The Taurat3 of YAHWEH4 is perfect, restoring the soul.
The testimony of YAHWEH is sure, making wise the simple.
8The precepts of YAHWEH are right, rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of YAHWEH is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9The fear of YAHWEH is clean, enduring forever.
The ordinances of YAHWEH are true, and righteous altogether.
10More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.
11Moreover by them is your servant warned.
In keeping them there is great reward.
12Who can discern his errors?
Forgive me from hidden errors.
13Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I will be upright,
I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression.
14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in your sight,
YAHWEH, my rock, and my redeemer.
- 19:title Dawud, this Arabic name is derived from David (Hebrew) and means “Beloved.” ↩︎
- 19:4 Quoted in the Injil, Romans 10:18, which says, “But I ask, did they not hear? Yes, most assuredly, ‘Their sound has gone out into all the earth, Their words to the ends of the world.'” ↩︎
- 19:7 Taurat, this Arabic term is derived from the Hebrew word Torah, which means “instruction” or “teaching.” Depending on context, Taurat can refer to,
1. The whole Hebrew Bible contained here under the title Taurat, equivalent to what Jews today call Tanakh, and what Christians call the Old Testament.
2. The revelation given to Prophet Musa, that is, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, sometimes called the Pentateuch. Pentateuch is a Greek word meaning “five books” and includes Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These five books are attributed to Prophet Musa himself. This is the traditional and most common meaning given to Taurat or Torah.
3. The Law of Musa found within the Pentateuch, with its hundreds of rules and regulations covering many aspects of daily life for the people of Israel. The most famous of these laws are the Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20.
4. Taurat can also refer to divine instruction and teaching in general without reference to a particular book of the Hebrew Bible. ↩︎ - 19:7 YAHWEH, God’s personal Name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15: ‘God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”’ ↩︎