Exegetical Paper: Psalm 19
Introduction
C.S. Lewis considered Psalm 19 "the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world."[1] Psalm 19 is truly a remarkable mix between a praise and a wisdom psalm. This paper will first focus on the psalm's genre, structure, and summary. It will also look at some of the literary features found within Psalm 19. Then, it will focus on some of the interpretive issues that have been debated. Lastly, it will pick out some of the theological principles found within the psalm.
Genre, Structure, and Summary of Psalm 19
Genre & Structure
Psalm 19 is broken into two, possibly three, sections. [2] The first section (vv. 1-6) opens with a proclamation of God's majesty from His creation. This proclamation is God's general revelation to all of humanity. The Psalmist then moves from this general revelation to God's special revelation in the second section (vv. 7-14). This special revelation, which the Psalmist talks about, is God's perfect Law that He had given to His people.
This second section could be divided into two parts (vv. 7-10 & vv. 11-14). These last few verses are when the Psalmist becomes more personal. He begins to pray for deliverance from presumptuous sins and asks that his words and meditations be acceptable in God's sight. [3]
The difficulty in determining the genre of this psalm comes from the fact that this psalm is broken up into two specific sections. The first section could be classified as a praise hymn because of its adoration toward God. Futato points out that a praise hymn usually contains two significant themes: the praise of God (vv. 1-6) and the praise of God as our Redeemer (v. 14b). [4] This psalm contains both of these major themes.
The second section can be classified as a wisdom psalm. When a psalmist composes a wisdom psalm, they do not spend any time defending their statements but rather stating facts. So, in the second section of this psalm, the Psalmist declares how perfect, correct, clean, and true the Law is. While this psalm is broken up into two parts and has two other genres, Craigie points out that if it is a unity, it should probably be classified as a wisdom hymn, although it does have some features of a prayer. [5]
Literary Features
A few significant literary features can be found within Psalm 19. The first literary feature is its breaks. This psalm contains two strophes (vv. 1-6; vv. 7-14). A strophe is a logical unit determined by the content, subject matter, and structure.[6] While the psalm does not provide indicators for the break, the content determines the logical unit.
Another literary feature found in the Psalmist is the figures of speech. Three prominent figures of speech are found in this psalm: synonyms, personifications, and rhetorical questions. The Psalmist's use of synonyms is found in verses seven through eight. Within these two verses, the Psalmist uses synonyms to describe the Law: law, testimony, precepts, commandments, fear, and rules. The Psalmist also uses personifications to get his message across. This can be found through the first strophe. He gives creation the ability to speak and proclaim. A rhetorical question can also be found within the psalm. In verse twelve, the author says, "Who can discern his errors?" Of course, the answer to this question is no one can discern his errors.
Interpretive Issues
A few interpretive issues are found within Psalm 19. Two main issues are debated within Psalm 19. The first one has to do with its classification. How should Psalm 19 be classified since it is divided into two seemingly different sections? The second builds upon the first and asks: Is Psalm 19 written by one author, or should more than one author contribute to Psalm 19?
Classification
Craigie points out this problem when he states, “In the attempt to classify Ps. 19 according to its type and social setting, there is an initial problem which must be resolved, namely the issue of the unity of the psalm.” [7] Some have tried to classify this psalm as a praise hymn, but that doesn't do justice to the entire psalm. Broyles points out that this psalm is unlike any other praise psalms since the others usually call to praise and directly address Yahweh.[8] So, while the first section could possibly be classified as a praise hymn, it falls short of classifying the entire psalm. This is mainly because the entire psalm is not a praise, and even the part that is considered a praise strays away from the norm.
Others classify this psalm as a wisdom hymn because it deals with the Torah. In wisdom hymns, the writer usually focuses on two different mindsets: the righteous and the wicked. The way of the righteous is often associated with the Torah.[9] Since most psalm deals with the Torah, it would be more likely to classify this psalm as a wisdom psalm. [10]
Number of Authors
The second main interpretive issue that is debated is the number of authors. Since the psalm is divided into two sections, many wonder whether two authors or just one wrote it. The heart of this debate goes much deeper than just the two sections. The main issue arises in the fact that the two sections are drastically different. The differences can be found within the change of style (of rhythm and meter) and the change in God's name.
One of the biggest reason why scholars claim that this psalm was written by two authors, or at least the first part was taken from an older hymn of creation and made into a solid piece with the psalmist hymn on the Torah[11], is because of the drastic change of thought from sections one (vv. 1-6) and two (vv. 7-14). Within this drastic change comes a change in the names of God. In the first section, God is referred to as El, while in the second section, God is referred to as Yahweh.[12] These two distinct names for God and the abrupt switch make some scholars believe two different people wrote these two sections. Not only does the names of God change, but the style of rhythm and meter changes abruptly, too.
Although these factors seem to point to more than one author, many scholars have come up with some ideas that would help explain why one author would make such drastic changes within a single psalm. If an individual author wrote this psalm, then there are two main questions that need to be answered: Why does the author abruptly change topics? What features would link the two sections together?
According to Tesh and Zorn, the answer to the first question is quite simple. The change in style could be deliberate because of the shift in subject matter.[13] It could be logical that the author wanted to make a deliberate change in style, both in the use of God's name and his style of rhythm and meter, because he was changing to a different topic. Although these two topics are not completely different from each other, the author may have wanted to show a distinction between them.
The answer to the second question is more complicated. Regarding the topic change, Craigie states that the author is moving from macrocosm to microcosm, or in other words, from a universal marvel of God to an individual humility before God.[14] This idea makes sense since the author seems to be moving from a general revelation from God to a special revelation from God. So, although there appears to be a drastic change from one topic to another, the two topics are actually related to each other. Belcher makes this point when he states that the unity of the psalm can be seen in the theme of God's revelation in creation and in the law.[15]
About the author's name change of God, Tesh and Zorn show how this name change makes sense. El is a term that focuses on God’s great creative power.[16] So, it would make perfect sense for the author to use this name while referring to the marvel of God's creation. On the other hand, Yahweh is God's covenant name, which was made known to Israel by the giving of the law through Moses.[17] This is also utterly logical since the author, in the second section, focuses on God's special revelation, the Law. So, while the name change may be a stumbling block for some when one looks at it from this perspective, one can see why the author would change the names of God. One refers to God's incredible power, which corresponds with the author's topic on creation, while the other refers to God as a relational God, which corresponds to the giving of the Law.
So far, this author has shown how the two sections are related and how it is possible to answer the questions that refute this claim. However, one more piece of evidence shows these two sections can be bound together. Bullock states, "The same word ('omer0 occurs for 'speech' in the first stanza (v. 2) and in the Psalmist's prayer that his 'words' ('imre, from same root) be heard (v. 14), binding the two stanzas together.”[18] When all of these solutions to the questions are considered, it is reasonable to state that Psalm 19 was, in fact, written by one author rather than two or more authors.
Theological Points and Application of Psalm 19
This author wants to make two theological points about Psalm 19. The first is the psalm's relation to Christ's person and/or work. If one looks closely, Christ is clearly present throughout Psalm 19. The second point is the importance of general and special revelation and how this relates to Christians today.
Jesus in Psalms 19
Before one starts looking for Jesus within any psalm, he must first understand the psalm in its historical and literary context. Once he understands the historical and literary context, he can begin to see how the psalm relates to Christ. To do this, he can ask a few questions, one being, "Does the psalm describe God in ways that relate to the deity of Christ?"[19] Within Psalm 19, Christ can be seen in three different places.
First, Christ can be seen in the Psalmist's praise of God as creator. The New Testament portrays Christ as the creator of all things (Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16-17). So, when the Psalmist says, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork," the Psalmist refers to Christ as the creator, whether he understood that fact or not. When finding Christ within the Psalms, one must consider not only the Psalmist as an author but also the Holy Spirit as an author, so whether one understands Christ as the creator or not, the New Testament clearly states that He is.
The second place Christ can be found in Psalm 19 is in the Law. John 1 portrays Christ as the very word of God. Just as the Law was God's special revelation to the Israelites, Jesus is the special revelation to the world. Also, Belcher points out that the adjectives the Psalmist uses to describe the Law are also adjectives that describe Christ. He states, "The words…that describe the character of the law also describe Christ.”[20]
The third place Christ can be found is within the last verse of Psalm 19. The Psalmist states, "O Lord, my rock and my redeemer" (v. 14). The New Testament clearly shows that Christ is the Christian's Redeemer (1 Cor. 1:30). He is the Christian's Redeemer from slavery to sin (1 Pe 3:18), from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13), from the power of Satan (Col. 1:13), from the coming judgment (1 Th. 1:10), from death (Heb. 2:14-15), etc. So, within Psalm 19, the reader can find Christ's footprints throughout it.
General and Special Revelation
Psalm 19 is a masterpiece that shows God's general and special revelation. The first half (vv. 1-6) deals with God's general revelation (creation), while the second half (vv. 7-14) deals with special revelation (the Law). God's creation constantly proclaims God's works and provides evidence of His existence, so man is without excuse.[21] This is what separates God from the false gods of other nations. Israel's God created the universe so that He could reveal Himself within it, and this general revelation is indiscriminate.[22] Belcher said, "God has not left himself without a witness."[23] Paul brings up this same idea in Romans 1:18-20, but he uses it in a condemning way. He shows that no one has an excuse for not believing in a Creator since God's invisible attributes, eternal power, and divine nature are clearly seen in creation.
The second half moves into God's special revelation. This special revelation was an essential part of Israelite life and an important part of the Christian life. God's general revelation was able to give people knowledge of His power and divine nature, but it is not sufficient to lead to salvation. Since God is a relational God, He gave His people this special revelation so they could come to a saving knowledge of who He is. This is also true with the Christians today.
God's special revelation comes in two primary forms. First, the most incredible special revelation humanity has ever seen was Jesus Christ. He is the Word of God in the flesh. He came as an atoning sacrifice to reveal the Father and set an example. The second special revelation is the Scriptures. The Old and New Testaments reveal God's nature and plan for humanity. So, without this special revelation, believers would not be able to have a saving knowledge of God or have an intimate relationship with Him. This is why the Psalmist puts such a great emphasis on the Law. He understands its importance, and because of its importance, people should desire it more than gold (v. 10).
Conclusion
As C. S. Lewis stated, Psalm 19 is one of the greatest poems in the Psalter. Its flow from general revelation to special revelation encourages the reader to believe in a God who desires an intimate relationship with His people. Although there has been much debate about its authorship, it is logical to conclude that one author who wanted to distinguish between God's revelations wrote Psalm 19.
[1] C. S. Lewis. Reflections on the Psalms. (San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1959), 63.
[2] Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1–50, 2nd ed., vol. 19, Word Biblical Commentary (Nashville, TN: Nelson Reference & Electronic, 2004), 179.
[3] S. Edward Tesh and Walter D. Zorn, Psalms, The College Press NIV Commentary (Joplin, MO: College Press, 1999), 188–189.
[4] Mark D. Futato. Interpreting the Psalms: An Exegetical Handbook. (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2007), 175.
[5] Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1–50. 180.
[6] C. Hassell Bullock. Encountering the Book of Psalms. (Grand Rapids, MI: BakerAcademic, 2001), 41.
[7] Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1–50, 179.
[8] Craig C. Broyles. Psalms, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series. (Grand Rapids, MI: BakerBooks, 1999), 108.
[9] C. Hassell Bullock. Encountering the Book of Psalms, 214.
[10] Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1–50, 180.
[11] C. Hassell Bullock. Encountering the Book of Psalms, 220.
[12] S. Edward Tesh and Walter D. Zorn. Psalms., 187.
[13] Ibid., 188.
[14] C. Hassell Bullock. Encountering the Book of Palms, 220.
[15] Richard P Belcher. Jr. The Messiah and the Psalms: Preaching Christ from all the Psalms. (Scotland: Mentor, 2006), 50.
[16] S. Edwards Tesh and Walter D. Zorn. Psalms., 188.
[17] Ibid.
[18] C. Hassell Bullock. Encountering the Book of Psalms., 220.
[19] Richard P. Belcher Jr. The Messiah and the Psalms: Preaching Christ from all the Psalms., 39.
[20] Ibid., 53-54.
[21] Ibid., 51.
[22] C. Hassell Bullock. An Introduction to the Old Testament: Poetic Books. (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 1988), 154.
[23] Richard P. Belcher. The Messiah and the Psalms: Preaching Christ from all the Psalms., 51.
