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Selected Verse: Psalms 19:4 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 19:4	Strong Concordance	Their line [06957] is gone out [03318] through all the earth [0776], and their words [04405] to the end [07097] of the world [08398]. In them hath he set [07760] a tabernacle [0168] for the sun [08121],
	King James	Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Their line--or, "instruction"--the influence exerted by their tacit display of God's perfections. Paul (Rom 10:8), quoting from the Septuagint, uses "sound," which gives the same sense.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Their line--or, "instruction"--the influence exerted by their tacit display of God's perfections. Paul (Rom 10:8), quoting from the Septuagint, uses "sound," which gives the same sense.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Their line - That is, of the heavens. The word used here - קו qav - means properly a cord, or line: (a) a measuring line, Eze 47:3; Job 38:5; Isa 44:13; and then (b) a cord or string as of a lyre or other instrument of music; and hence, a sound. So it is rendered here by the Septuagint, φθόγγος phthongos. By Symmachus, ἦχος ēchos. By the Vulgate, sonus. DeWette renders it Klang, sound. Prof. Alexander dogmatically says that this is "entirely at variance with the Hebrew usage." That this sense, however, is demanded in the passage seems to be plain, not only from the sense given to it by the ancient versions, but by the parallelism, where the term "words" corresponds to it: "Their line is gone out through all the earth; Their words to the end of the world." Besides, what could be the sense of saying that their line, in the sense of a measuring line, or cord, had gone through all the earth? The plain meaning is, that sounds conveying instruction, and here connected with the idea of sweet or musical sounds, had gone out from the heavens to all parts of the world, conveying the knowledge of God. There is no allusion to the notion of the "music of the spheres," for this conception was not known to the Hebrews; but the idea is that of sweet or musical sounds, not harsh or grating, as proceeding from the movements of the heavens, and conveying these lessons to man. And their words - The lessons or truths which they convey. To the end of the world - To the uttermost parts of the earth. The language here is derived from the idea that the earth was a plane, and had limits. But even with our correct knowledge of the figure of the earth, we use similar language when we speak of the "uttermost parts of the earth." In them - That is, in the heavens, Psa 19:1. The meaning is, that the sun has his abode or dwelling-place, as it were, in the heavens. The sun is particularly mentioned, doubtless, as being the most prominent object among the heavenly bodies, as illustrating in an eminent manner the glory of God. The sense of the whole passage is, that the heavens in general proclaim the glory of God, and that this is shown in a particular and special manner by the light, the splendor, and the journeyings of the sun. Hath he set a tabernacle for the sun - A tent; that is, a dwelling-place. He has made a dwelling-place there for the sun. Compare Hab 3:11, "The sun and moon stood still in their habitation."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Their line - That is, of the heavens. The word used here - קו qav - means properly a cord, or line:

(a) a measuring line, Eze 47:3; Job 38:5; Isa 44:13; and then

(b) a cord or string as of a lyre or other instrument of music; and hence, a sound.

So it is rendered here by the Septuagint, φθόγγος phthongos. By Symmachus, ἦχος ēchos. By the Vulgate, sonus. DeWette renders it Klang, sound. Prof. Alexander dogmatically says that this is "entirely at variance with the Hebrew usage." That this sense, however, is demanded in the passage seems to be plain, not only from the sense given to it by the ancient versions, but by the parallelism, where the term "words" corresponds to it:

"Their line is gone out through all the earth;

Their words to the end of the world."

Besides, what could be the sense of saying that their line, in the sense of a measuring line, or cord, had gone through all the earth? The plain meaning is, that sounds conveying instruction, and here connected with the idea of sweet or musical sounds, had gone out from the heavens to all parts of the world, conveying the knowledge of God. There is no allusion to the notion of the "music of the spheres," for this conception was not known to the Hebrews; but the idea is that of sweet or musical sounds, not harsh or grating, as proceeding from the movements of the heavens, and conveying these lessons to man.

And their words - The lessons or truths which they convey.

To the end of the world - To the uttermost parts of the earth. The language here is derived from the idea that the earth was a plane, and had limits. But even with our correct knowledge of the figure of the earth, we use similar language when we speak of the "uttermost parts of the earth."

In them - That is, in the heavens, Psa 19:1. The meaning is, that the sun has his abode or dwelling-place, as it were, in the heavens. The sun is particularly mentioned, doubtless, as being the most prominent object among the heavenly bodies, as illustrating in an eminent manner the glory of God. The sense of the whole passage is, that the heavens in general proclaim the glory of God, and that this is shown in a particular and special manner by the light, the splendor, and the journeyings of the sun.

Hath he set a tabernacle for the sun - A tent; that is, a dwelling-place. He has made a dwelling-place there for the sun. Compare Hab 3:11, "The sun and moon stood still in their habitation."

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
(Heb.: 19:5-7) Since אמר and דברים are the speech and words of the heavens, which form the ruling principal notion, comprehending within itself both יום and לילה, the suffixes of קוּם and מלּיהם must unmistakeably refer to השׁמים in spite of its being necessary to assign another reference to קולם in Psa 19:4. Jer 31:39 shows how we are to understand קו in connection with יצא. The measuring line of the heavens is gone forth into all the earth, i.e., has taken entire possession of the earth. Psa 19:5 tells us what kind of measuring line is intended, viz., that of their heraldship: their words (from מלּה, which is more Aramaic than Hebrew, and consequently more poetic) reach to the end of the world, they fill it completely, from its extreme boundary inwards. Isaiah's קו, Psa 28:1-9 :10, is inapplicable here, because it does not mean commandment, but rule, and is there used as a word of derision, rhyming with צו. The ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν of the lxx (ὁ ἦχος αὐτῶν Symm.) might more readily be justified, inasmuch as קו might mean a harpstring, as being a cord in tension, and then, like τόνος (cf. τοναία), a tone or sound (Gesenius in his Lex., and Ewald), if the reading קולם does not perhaps lie at the foundation of that rendering. But the usage of the language presents with signification of a measuring line for קו when used with יצא (Aq. κανών, cf. Co2 10:13); and this gives a new thought, whereas in the other case we should merely have a repetition of what has been already expressed in Psa 19:4. Paul makes use of these first two lines of the strophe in order, with its very words, to testify to the spread of the apostolic message over the whole earth. Hence most of the older expositors have taken the first half of the Psalm to be an allegorical prediction, the heavens being a figure of the church and the sun a figure of the gospel. The apostle does not, however, make a formal citation in the passage referred to, he merely gives a New Testament application to Old Testament language, by taking the all-penetrating praeconium coelorum as figure of the all-penetrating praeconium evangelii; and he is fully justified in so doing by the parallel which the psalmist himself draws between the revelation of God in nature and in the written word. The reference of בּהם to השׁמים is at once opposed by the tameness of the thought so obtained. The tent, viz., the retreat (אהל, according to its radical meaning a dwelling, from אהל, cogn. אול, to retire from the open country) of the sun is indeed in the sky, but it is more naturally at the spot where the sky and the קצה תבל meet. Accordingly בהם has the neuter signification "there" (cf. Isa 30:6); and there is so little ground for reading שׁם instead of שׂם, as Ewald does, that the poet on the contrary has written בהם and not שׁם, because he has just used שׂם (Hitzig). The name of the sun, which is always feminine in Arabic, is predominantly masculine in Hebrew and Aramaic (cf. on the other hand Gen 15:17, Nah 3:17, Isa 45:6, Mal 4:2); just as the Sabians and heathen Arabs had a sun-god (masc.). Accordingly in Psa 19:6 the sun is compared to a bridegroom, who comes forth in the morning out of his חפּה. Joe 2:16 shows that this word means a bride-chamber; properly (from חפף to cover) it means a canopy (Isa 4:5), whence in later Hebrew the bridal or portable canopy (Talmud. בּית גּננא), which is supported by four poles and borne by four boys, at the consecration of the bridal pair, and then also the marriage itself, is called chuppa. The morning light has in it a freshness and cheerfulness, as it were a renewed youth. Therefore the morning sun is compared to a bridegroom, the desire of whose heart is satisfied, who stands as it were at the beginning of a new life, and in whose youthful countenance the joy of the wedding-day still shines. And as at its rising it is like a bridegroom, so in its rapid course (Sir. 43:5) it is like a hero (vid., on Psa 18:34), inasmuch as it marches on its way ever anew, light-giving and triumphant, as often as it comes forth, with גּבוּרה (Jdg 5:31). From one end of heaven, the extreme east of the horizon, is its going forth, i.e., rising (cf. Hos 6:3; the opposite is מבוא going in = setting), and its circuit (תּקוּפה, from קוּף = נקף, Isa 29:1, to revolve) על־קצותם, to their (the heavens') end (= עד Deu 4:32), cf. 1 Esdr. 4:34: ταχὺς τῷ δρόμῳ ὁ ἥλιος, ὅτι στρέφεται ἐν τῷ κύκλῳ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάλιν ἀποτρέχει εἰς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τόπον ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ. On this open way there is not נסתּר, anything hidden, i.e., anything that remains hidden, before its heat. חמּה is the enlightening and warming influence of the sun, which is also itself called חמּה in poetry.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

(Heb.: 19:5-7) Since אמר and דברים are the speech and words of the heavens, which form the ruling principal notion, comprehending within itself both יום and לילה, the suffixes of קוּם and מלּיהם must unmistakeably refer to השׁמים in spite of its being necessary to assign another reference to קולם in Psa 19:4. Jer 31:39 shows how we are to understand קו in connection with יצא. The measuring line of the heavens is gone forth into all the earth, i.e., has taken entire possession of the earth. Psa 19:5 tells us what kind of measuring line is intended, viz., that of their heraldship: their words (from מלּה, which is more Aramaic than Hebrew, and consequently more poetic) reach to the end of the world, they fill it completely, from its extreme boundary inwards. Isaiah's קו, Psa 28:1-9 :10, is inapplicable here, because it does not mean commandment, but rule, and is there used as a word of derision, rhyming with צו. The ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν of the lxx (ὁ ἦχος αὐτῶν Symm.) might more readily be justified, inasmuch as קו might mean a harpstring, as being a cord in tension, and then, like τόνος (cf. τοναία), a tone or sound (Gesenius in his Lex., and Ewald), if the reading קולם does not perhaps lie at the foundation of that rendering. But the usage of the language presents with signification of a measuring line for קו when used with יצא (Aq. κανών, cf. Co2 10:13); and this gives a new thought, whereas in the other case we should merely have a repetition of what has been already expressed in Psa 19:4. Paul makes use of these first two lines of the strophe in order, with its very words, to testify to the spread of the apostolic message over the whole earth. Hence most of the older expositors have taken the first half of the Psalm to be an allegorical prediction, the heavens being a figure of the church and the sun a figure of the gospel. The apostle does not, however, make a formal citation in the passage referred to, he merely gives a New Testament application to Old Testament language, by taking the all-penetrating praeconium coelorum as figure of the all-penetrating praeconium evangelii; and he is fully justified in so doing by the parallel which the psalmist himself draws between the revelation of God in nature and in the written word.

The reference of בּהם to השׁמים is at once opposed by the tameness of the thought so obtained. The tent, viz., the retreat (אהל, according to its radical meaning a dwelling, from אהל, cogn. אול, to retire from the open country) of the sun is indeed in the sky, but it is more naturally at the spot where the sky and the קצה תבל meet. Accordingly בהם has the neuter signification "there" (cf. Isa 30:6); and there is so little ground for reading שׁם instead of שׂם, as Ewald does, that the poet on the contrary has written בהם and not שׁם, because he has just used שׂם (Hitzig). The name of the sun, which is always feminine in Arabic, is predominantly masculine in Hebrew and Aramaic (cf. on the other hand Gen 15:17, Nah 3:17, Isa 45:6, Mal 4:2); just as the Sabians and heathen Arabs had a sun-god (masc.). Accordingly in Psa 19:6 the sun is compared to a bridegroom, who comes forth in the morning out of his חפּה. Joe 2:16 shows that this word means a bride-chamber; properly (from חפף to cover) it means a canopy (Isa 4:5), whence in later Hebrew the bridal or portable canopy (Talmud. בּית גּננא), which is supported by four poles and borne by four boys, at the consecration of the bridal pair, and then also the marriage itself, is called chuppa. The morning light has in it a freshness and cheerfulness, as it were a renewed youth. Therefore the morning sun is compared to a bridegroom, the desire of whose heart is satisfied, who stands as it were at the beginning of a new life, and in whose youthful countenance the joy of the wedding-day still shines. And as at its rising it is like a bridegroom, so in its rapid course (Sir. 43:5) it is like a hero (vid., on Psa 18:34), inasmuch as it marches on its way ever anew, light-giving and triumphant, as often as it comes forth, with גּבוּרה (Jdg 5:31). From one end of heaven, the extreme east of the horizon, is its going forth, i.e., rising (cf. Hos 6:3; the opposite is מבוא going in = setting), and its circuit (תּקוּפה, from קוּף = נקף, Isa 29:1, to revolve) על־קצותם, to their (the heavens') end (= עד Deu 4:32), cf. 1 Esdr. 4:34: ταχὺς τῷ δρόμῳ ὁ ἥλιος, ὅτι στρέφεται ἐν τῷ κύκλῳ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάλιν ἀποτρέχει εἰς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τόπον ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ. On this open way there is not נסתּר, anything hidden, i.e., anything that remains hidden, before its heat. חמּה is the enlightening and warming influence of the sun, which is also itself called חמּה in poetry.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Line - Their lines, the singular number being put for the plural. And this expression is very proper, because the heavens do not teach men audibly, or by speaking to their ears, but visibly by propounding things to their eyes, which is done in lines or writings. Gone - Is spread abroad. Earth - So as to be seen and read, by all the inhabitants of the earth. Words - Their magnificent structure, their exquisite order, and most regular course, by which they declare their author, no less than men discover their minds by their words. Sun - Which being the most illustrious and useful of all the heavenly bodies, is here particularly mentioned.

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⁸ But [235] what [5101] saith it [3004]? The word [4487] is [2076] nigh [1451] thee [4675], even in [1722] thy [4675] mouth [4750], and [2532] in [1722] thy [4675] heart [2588]: that is [5123], the word [4487] of faith [4102], which [3739] we preach [2784];

¹¹ The sun [08121] and moon [03394] stood still [05975] in their habitation [02073]: at the light [0216] of thine arrows [02671] they went [01980], and at the shining [05051] of thy glittering [01300] spear [02595].

¹ To the chief Musician [05329], A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. The heavens [08064] declare [05608] the glory [03519] of God [0410]; and the firmament [07549] sheweth his [05046] handywork [04639] [03027].

¹³ The carpenter [02796] [06086] stretcheth out [05186] his rule [06957]; he marketh it out [08388] with a line [08279]; he fitteth [06213] it with planes [04741], and he marketh it out [08388] with the compass [04230], and maketh [06213] it after the figure [08403] of a man [0376], according to the beauty [08597] of a man [0120]; that it may remain [03427] in the house [01004].

⁵ Who hath laid [07760] the measures [04461] thereof, if thou knowest [03045]? or who hath stretched [05186] the line [06957] upon it?

³ And when the man [0376] that had the line [06957] in his hand [03027] went forth [03318] eastward [06921], he measured [04058] a thousand [0505] cubits [0520], and he brought me through [05674] the waters [04325]; the waters [04325] were to the ankles [0657].

³² For ask [07592] now of the days [03117] that are past [07223], which were [01961] before [06440] thee, since the day [03117] that God [0430] created [01254] man [0120] upon the earth [0776], and ask from the one side [07097] of heaven [08064] unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great [01419] thing [01697] is, or hath been heard [08085] like it?

¹ Woe [01945] to Ariel [0740], to Ariel [0740], the city [07151] where David [01732] dwelt [02583] ! add [05595] ye year [08141] to year [08141]; let them kill [05362] sacrifices [02282].

³ Then shall we know [03045], if we follow [07291] on to know [03045] the LORD [03068]: his going forth [04161] is prepared [03559] as the morning [07837]; and he shall come [0935] unto us as the rain [01653], as the latter [04456] and former rain [03384] unto the earth [0776].

³¹ So let all thine enemies [0341] perish [06], O LORD [03068]: but let them that love [0157] him be as the sun [08121] when he goeth forth [03318] in his might [01369]. And the land [0776] had rest [08252] forty [0705] years [08141].

³⁴ He teacheth [03925] my hands [03027] to war [04421], so that a bow [07198] of steel [05154] is broken [05181] by mine arms [02220].

⁵ And the LORD [03068] will create [01254] upon every dwelling place [04349] of mount [02022] Zion [06726], and upon her assemblies [04744], a cloud [06051] and smoke [06227] by day [03119], and the shining [05051] of a flaming [03852] fire [0784] by night [03915]: for upon all the glory [03519] shall be a defence [02646].

¹⁶ Gather [0622] the people [05971], sanctify [06942] the congregation [06951], assemble [06908] the elders [02205], gather [0622] the children [05768], and those that suck [03243] the breasts [07699]: let the bridegroom [02860] go forth [03318] of his chamber [02315], and the bride [03618] out of her closet [02646].

⁶ His going forth [04161] is from the end [07097] of the heaven [08064], and his circuit [08622] unto the ends [07098] of it: and there is nothing hid [05641] from the heat [02535] thereof.

² But unto you that fear [03373] my name [08034] shall the Sun [08121] of righteousness [06666] arise [02224] with healing [04832] in his wings [03671]; and ye shall go forth [03318], and grow up [06335] as calves [05695] of the stall [04770].

⁶ That they may know [03045] from the rising [04217] of the sun [08121], and from the west [04628], that there is none [0657] beside [01107] me. I am the LORD [03068], and there is none else.

¹⁷ Thy crowned [04502] are as the locusts [0697], and thy captains [02951] as the great grasshoppers [01462], which camp [02583] in the hedges [01448] in the cold [07135] day [03117], but when the sun [08121] ariseth [02224] they flee away [05074], and their place [04725] is not known [03045] where [0335] they are.

¹⁷ And it came to pass, that, when the sun [08121] went down [0935], and it was dark [05939], behold a smoking [06227] furnace [08574], and a burning [0784] lamp [03940] that passed [05674] between [0996] those pieces [01506].

⁶ The burden [04853] of the beasts [0929] of the south [05045]: into the land [0776] of trouble [06869] and anguish [06695], from whence come the young [03833] and old lion [03918], the viper [0660] and fiery [08314] flying [05774] serpent [08314], they will carry [05375] their riches [02428] upon the shoulders [03802] of young asses [05895], and their treasures [0214] upon the bunches [01707] of camels [01581], to a people [05971] that shall not profit [03276] them.

⁴ Their line [06957] is gone out [03318] through all the earth [0776], and their words [04405] to the end [07097] of the world [08398]. In them hath he set [07760] a tabernacle [0168] for the sun [08121],

¹³ But [1161] we [2249] will [2744] not [3780] boast [2744] of things without [1519] our measure [280], but [235] according [2596] to the measure [3358] of the rule [2583] which [3739] God [2316] hath distributed [3307] to us [2254], a measure [3358] to reach [2185] even [2532] unto [891] you [5216].

¹ A Psalm of David [01732]. Unto thee will I cry [07121], O LORD [03068] my rock [06697]; be not silent [02814] to me: lest, if thou be silent [02790] to me, I become [04911] like them that go down [03381] into the pit [0953].
² Hear [08085] the voice [06963] of my supplications [08469], when I cry [07768] unto thee, when I lift up [05375] my hands [03027] toward thy holy [06944] oracle [01687].
³ Draw me not away [04900] with the wicked [07563], and with the workers [06466] of iniquity [0205], which speak [01696] peace [07965] to their neighbours [07453], but mischief [07451] is in their hearts [03824].
⁴ Give [05414] them according to their deeds [06467], and according to the wickedness [07455] of their endeavours [04611]: give [05414] them after the work [04639] of their hands [03027]; render [07725] to them their desert [01576].
⁵ Because they regard [0995] not the works [06468] of the LORD [03068], nor the operation [04639] of his hands [03027], he shall destroy [02040] them, and not build them up [01129].
⁶ Blessed [01288] be the LORD [03068], because he hath heard [08085] the voice [06963] of my supplications [08469].
⁷ The LORD [03068] is my strength [05797] and my shield [04043]; my heart [03820] trusted [0982] in him, and I am helped [05826]: therefore my heart [03820] greatly rejoiceth [05937]; and with my song [07892] will I praise [03034] him.
⁸ The LORD [03068] is their strength [05797], and he is the saving [03444] strength [04581] of his anointed [04899].
⁹ Save [03467] thy people [05971], and bless [01288] thine inheritance [05159]: feed [07462] them also, and lift them up [05375] for ever [05769].

⁵ Which is as a bridegroom [02860] coming out [03318] of his chamber [02646], and rejoiceth [07797] as a strong man [01368] to run [07323] a race [0734].

³⁹ And the measuring [04060] line [06957] [06961] shall yet go forth [03318] over against it upon the hill [01389] Gareb [01619], and shall compass about [05437] to Goath [01601].