The Meaning of Psalms 19:7 Explained

Psalms 19:7

KJV: The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

YLT: The law of Jehovah is perfect, refreshing the soul, The testimonies of Jehovah are stedfast, Making wise the simple,

Darby: The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple;

ASV: The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul: The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The law  of the LORD  [is] perfect,  converting  the soul:  the testimony  of the LORD  [is] sure,  making wise  the simple. 

What does Psalms 19:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The revealed Word of God has the same dominant influence over humankind as the sun does over nature. Whereas the sun restores natural life, God"s law restores the life of the human soul. The sun dispels physical darkness, but the Word of God removes the darkness of ignorance from our understanding. It is flawless and reliable.

Context Summary

Psalms 19:1-14 - The Works And The Word Of God
This is the "Psalm of the Two Books"-Nature and Scripture. If Psalms 8:1-9 were written at night, Psalms 19:1-14 was surely written by day. In Psalms 19:1, God is called El, "strong;" in Psalms 19:7-9; Psalms 19:14, the Hebrew Jehovah is translated "Lord," as if His glory as Creator is the stepping-stone to loftier conceptions of the Redeemer.
Nature's silence! No speech nor language! Psalms 19:3. What a picture of the sacred stillness of dawn! Yet the witness-bearing is universal. Line, Psalms 19:4, is "compass" or "territory," but some translate it "chord." Nature's harp is strung to the glory of God. Jesus is our Sun, Malachi 4:2.
Six synonyms for Scripture, and twelve qualities ascribed to it, Psalms 19:7-9. How truly might our Lord have appropriated Psalms 19:10! Let us end with confession and prayer. Errors, Psalms 19:12; see Leviticus 4:2, r.v., margin, Psalms 19:13. Dominion, Psalms 19:13; Romans 6:14. For the seventh time Jehovah, Psalms 19:14, with two loving epithets! Can we all say my, claiming all of God? [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 19

1  The creatures show God's glory
7  The excellence of the divine law
12  David prays for grace

What do the individual words in Psalms 19:7 mean?

The law of Yahweh [is] perfect converting the soul the testimony [is] sure making wise the simple
תּ֘וֹרַ֤ת יְהוָ֣ה תְּ֭מִימָה מְשִׁ֣יבַת נָ֑פֶשׁ עֵד֥וּת נֶ֝אֱמָנָ֗ה מַחְכִּ֥ימַת פֶּֽתִי

תּ֘וֹרַ֤ת  The  law 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
יְהוָ֣ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
תְּ֭מִימָה  [is]  perfect 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: תָּמִים  
Sense: complete, whole, entire, sound.
מְשִׁ֣יבַת  converting 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, feminine singular construct
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
נָ֑פֶשׁ  the  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
עֵד֥וּת  the  testimony 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵדוּת  
Sense: testimony.
נֶ֝אֱמָנָ֗ה  [is]  sure 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
מַחְכִּ֥ימַת  making  wise 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, feminine singular construct
Root: חָכַם  
Sense: to be wise.
פֶּֽתִי  the  simple 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּתִי 
Sense: simplicity, naivete adj.