Psa 19:1-4 | NETfull | STEP | The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork.

Psalms 19:1-4

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; ^{▼▼ God’s glory refers here to his royal majesty and power.}
the sky displays his handiwork. ^{▼▼ Heb “and the work of his hands the sky declares.” The participles emphasize the ongoing testimony of the heavens/sky.}
2 Day after day it speaks out; ^{▼▼ Heb “it gushes forth a word.” The “sky” (see v. 1b) is the subject of the verb. Though not literally speaking (see v. 3), it clearly reveals God’s royal majesty. The sun’s splendor and its movement across the sky is in view (see vv. 4–6).}
night after night it reveals his greatness. ^{▼▼ Heb “it [i.e., the sky] declares knowledge,” i.e., knowledge about God’s royal majesty and power (see v. 1). This apparently refers to the splendor and movements of the stars. The imperfect verbal forms in v. 2, like the participles in the preceding verse, combine with the temporal phrases (“day after day” and “night after night”) to emphasize the ongoing testimony of the sky.}
3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its ^{▼▼ Heb “their.” The antecedent of the plural pronoun is “heavens” (v. 1).} voice literally heard.
4 Yet its voice ^{▼▼ The MT reads, “their measuring line” (קוּם, qum). The noun קַו (qav, “measuring line”) makes no sense in this context. The reading קוֹלָם (qolam, “their voice”) which is supported by the LXX, is preferable.} echoes ^{▼▼ Heb “goes out,” or “proceeds forth.”} throughout the earth;
its ^{▼▼ Heb “their” (see the note on the word “its” in v. 3).} words carry ^{▼▼ The verb is supplied in the translation. The Hebrew text has no verb; יָצָא (yatsa’, “goes out”) is understood by ellipsis.} to the distant horizon. ^{▼▼ Heb “to the end of the world.”}
In the sky ^{▼▼ Heb “in them” (i.e., the heavens).} he has pitched a tent for the sun. ^{▼▼ He has pitched a tent for the sun. The personified sun emerges from this “tent” in order to make its daytime journey across the sky. So the “tent” must refer metaphorically to the place where the sun goes to rest during the night.}