Psalms 19:4

Old Testament Poetry/Hymns ASV (1901)

What does Psalms 19:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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,” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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,
Psalms 19:4 — American Standard Version

Context — Psalms 19

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
4Their 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,

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Their line is gone out through all the earth, etc.] Not the line or writings in the book of the creatures, the heavens, and the earth, which lie open, and are legible, and to be seen and read of all men; nor the line and writings in the book of the Scriptures, called line upon line, and precept upon precept, (<232813>Isaiah 28:13), which, though first given to the Jews, were written for the instruction of others, and have been communicated to them; but the line of the apostles: everyone had his line or measure; or the course he was to steer was measured out and directed to him; the line of one, where he was to go and preach the Gospel, reached so far one way, and the line of another reached…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“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.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Their line - That is, of the heavens. The word used here - קו qav - means properly a cord, or line: (a) a measuring line, Ezekiel 47:3; Job 38:5; Isaiah 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…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“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. Psalms 19:5”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Their: Psa 98:3; Isa 49:6; Rom 10:18; Co2 10:13-16 line: or, rule, or, direction In them: Gen 1:14-18; Mal 4:2 Psalms 19:5”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“(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…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification