Psalm 19 Catholic: The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

Psalm 19, “The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands,” praises God twice over: in the silent speech of the sky and the sun, and in his law, “more to be desired than gold… and sweeter than honey.” It ends with one of the best-loved prayers in Scripture: “the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight.” In the Douay-Rheims it is numbered Psalm 18. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.

Psalm 19 in the Douay-Rheims Bible

Unto the end. A psalm for David.
The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.
Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge.
There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard.
Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.
He hath set his tabernacle in the sun: and he, as a bridegroom coming out of his bride chamber, Hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way:
His going out is from the end of heaven, And his circuit even to the end thereof: and there is no one that can hide himself from his heat.
The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.
The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts: the commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.
More to be desired than gold and many precious stones: and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.
For thy servant keepeth them, and in keeping them there is a great reward.
Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord:
And from those of others spare thy servant. If they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin.
And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight. O Lord, my helper, and my redeemer.

Psalm 19 or Psalm 18?

The Douay-Rheims Bible follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint, while most modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 18 is Psalm 19 in the New American Bible and other modern translations. In Latin the psalm begins Caeli enarrant gloriam Dei. See how many psalms are there?

What the psalm means

Creation speaks without words: day and night proclaim God’s glory to every nation. St. Paul applied this to the preaching of the Apostles: “their sound hath gone forth into all the earth” (Romans 10:18).
The sun like a bridegroom: the Fathers saw in this image Christ coming forth in the Incarnation.
The beauty of God’s law: it is “unspotted, converting souls,” “rejoicing hearts,” “enlightening the eyes.”
Hidden sins: “Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord.”
A prayer for our words and thoughts: that the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart may please God, our helper and redeemer.

How the Church uses Psalm 19

At the Easter Vigil, after the reading from Baruch: “Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.” See the Easter Vigil.
On the Third Sunday of Lent (Year B), with the Ten Commandments. See the Ten Commandments.
On other Sundays, including the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) and the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B).
Before preaching or study, many pray its last verse, “Let the words of my mouth… be acceptable.”

A prayer with Psalm 19

Written for this page:

Lord, the heavens tell your glory and the sky proclaims your work.
Open my eyes to see you in creation and in your word.
Cleanse me from my hidden faults, and keep me from pride.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart please you, O Lord, my helper and my redeemer. Amen.

Frequently asked questions

Where is “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart”?

Psalm 19:15 in the New American Bible (19:14 in some Bibles, and 18:15 in the Douay-Rheims).

What are the two parts of Psalm 19?

The first praises God’s glory in the heavens and the sun; the second praises the perfection of his law.

More psalms and prayers

Texts and sources

Scripture: Psalm 18 (19); Romans 10:18, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
The prayer was written for this page.