9 The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether:
Come, ye sons, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of Jehovah. What man is he that desireth life, [and] loveth days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile; Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
And Ahab called Obadiah, who was the steward of his house (now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly; and it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and maintained them with bread and water);
TZADE. Righteous art thou, Jehovah, and upright are thy judgments. Thou hast commanded thy testimonies in righteousness and exceeding faithfulness.
according as it is written, There is not a righteous [man], not even one; there is not the [man] that understands, there is not one that seeks after God. All have gone out of the way, they have together become unprofitable; there is not one that practises goodness, there is not so much as one: their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; asps' poison [is] under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; swift their feet to shed blood; ruin and misery [are] in their ways, and way of peace they have not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.
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Commentary on Psalms 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 19
Ps 19:1-14. After exhibiting the harmonious revelation of God's perfections made by His works and His word, the Psalmist prays for conformity to the Divine teaching.
1. the glory of God—is the sum of His perfections (Ps 24:7-10; Ro 1:20).
firmament—another word for "heavens" (Ge 1:8).
handywork—old English for "work of His hands."
2. uttereth—pours forth as a stream; a perpetual testimony.
3. Though there is no articulate speech or words, yet without these their voice is heard (compare Margin).
4. Their line—or, "instruction"—the influence exerted by their tacit display of God's perfections. Paul (Ro 10:18), quoting from the Septuagint, uses "sound," which gives the same sense.
5, 6. The sun, as the most glorious heavenly body, is specially used to illustrate the sentiment; and his vigorous, cheerful, daily, and extensive course, and his reviving heat (including light), well display the wondrous wisdom of his Maker.
7-9. The law is described by six names, epithets, and effects. It is a rule, God's testimony for the truth, His special and general prescription of duty, fear (as its cause) and judicial decision. It is distinct and certain, reliable, right, pure, holy, and true. Hence it revives those depressed by doubts, makes wise the unskilled (2Ti 3:15), rejoices the lover of truth, strengthens the desponding (Ps 13:4; 34:6), provides permanent principles of conduct, and by God's grace brings a rich reward.
12-14. The clearer our view of the law, the more manifest are our sins. Still for its full effect we need divine grace to show us our faults, acquit us, restrain us from the practice, and free us from the power, of sin. Thus only can our conduct be blameless, and our words and thoughts acceptable to God.