Psalm 19

Psalm 19

How wondrous thy creations, King of Kings
The skies, no name but thy name do declare
The firmament forever of thee sings
Thy handywork, before thee, bows in prayer

How perfect is thy law, O Lord of Lords
Thy testimony simple, true, and sure,
Thou makest hearts rejoice in thy blest word,
Thy statutes, Lord, are right; commandments, pure

How righteous are thy judgments, God above
More beautiful are they than much fine gold
And through them is thy servant wrapped in love
For they are sweeter than the honeycomb

Redeemer, please help me to be upright,
And make my heart accepted in thy sight


The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Lexical feature—I used many of the same words in the King James Version of the Bible to ensure that I was using EMnE words.

Grammatical Feature—No inflections, no gender for words except pronouns, etc.

Sound Repetition

Alliteration
"creations, King of Kings"
"law, O Lord of Lords"
"firmament forever"

Paramoiosis—"The," "the," "thy"
"Thy," "thou," "thy"

Rhyme—ABAB rhyme scheme

Word and Phrase Repetition

Anaphora—"How" begins each quatrain

Diacope
"no name but thy name"
"King of Kings"
"Lord of Lords"

Isoclon—each line is in iambic pentameter

Syntax
Unemphatic Do—"The skies, no name but thy name do declare"
SOV order
"The skies, no name but thy name do declare"
"The firmament forever of thee sings"
"How perfect is thy law, O Lord of Lords"
"How righteous are thy judgments, God above"
"More beautiful are they than much fine gold"

Unusual Placement of Adverbial Modifier
"And through them is thy servant wrapped in love"

Semantic Features
"Firmament"—narrowing. It used to mean the skies and the place where God dwells, but now it only means the skies
"Perfect"—narrowing. It used to mean complete, finished, fully accomplished or fully grown. Now it only means flawless.
"Simple"—narrowing and amelioration. It used to also mean poor, wretched, pitiful, and dismal, though it simultaneously meant humble and unpretentious. The first meaning is no longer in use today.
"Rejoice"—narrowing. It used to mean enjoy by possessing, but now it only means to gladden.
Pronouns—amelioration; now they mean respect and affection