Psalms 19:10-14

19:10 They are of greater value ¹  than gold,

than even a great amount of pure gold;

they bring greater delight ²  than honey,

than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.

19:11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; ³ 

those who obey them receive a rich reward. ⁴ 

19:12 Who can know all his errors? ⁵ 

Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of. ⁶ 

19:13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant ⁷  sins;

do not allow such sins to control me. ⁸ 

Then I will be blameless,

and innocent of blatant ⁹  rebellion.

19:14 May my words and my thoughts

be acceptable in your sight, ¹⁰ 

O Lord, my sheltering rock ¹¹  and my redeemer. ¹² 

[19:10]  ¹ tn Heb “more desirable.”

[19:10]  ² tn Heb “are sweeter.” God’s law is “sweet’ in the sense that, when obeyed, it brings a great reward (see v. 11b).

[19:11]  ³ tn Heb “moreover your servant is warned by them.”

[19:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “in the keeping of them [there is] a great reward.”

[19:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “Errors who can discern?” This rhetorical question makes the point that perfect moral discernment is impossible to achieve. Consequently it is inevitable that even those with good intentions will sin on occasion.

[19:12]  ⁶ tn Heb “declare me innocent from hidden [things],” i.e., sins. In this context (see the preceding line) “hidden” sins are not sins committed in secret, but sins which are not recognized as such by the psalmist.

[19:13]  ⁷ tn Or “presumptuous.”

[19:13]  ⁸ tn Heb “let them not rule over me.”

[19:13]  ⁹ tn Heb “great.”

[19:14]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “may the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart be acceptable before you.” The prefixed verbal form at the beginning of the verse is understood as a jussive of prayer. Another option is to translate the form as an imperfect continuing the thought of v. 14b: “[Then] the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart will be acceptable before you.”

[19:14]  ¹¹ tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection; thus the translation “sheltering rock.”

[19:14]  ¹² tn Heb “and the one who redeems me.” The metaphor casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis.