The Bible, King James version, Book 19: Psalms — Story, Setting & Ideas

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Authors: Anonymous Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2005 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Bible. Psalms Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

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Words 45,891

Reading time 200 min

Text sections 7

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The King James Version of the Psalms, with its parallel structures and shifts from lament to praise, reveals a distinctive rhythm of voice and pace across 150 poems.

Editorial Edition Score 4.7/5

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File: pg8019

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This eBook was produced by David Widger with the help of Derek Andrew's text from January 1992 and the work of Bryan Taylor in November 2002.

19:001:001 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

19:001:002 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

19:001:003 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

19:001:004 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

19:001:005 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

19:001:006 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

19:002:001 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

19:002:002 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

19:002:003 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

19:002:004 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.

19:002:005 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

19:002:006 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

19:002:007 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

19:002:008 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

19:002:009 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

19:002:010 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

19:002:011 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

19:002:012 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

19:003:001 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.

19:003:002 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

19:003:003 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

19:003:004 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

19:003:005 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.

19:003:006 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

19:003:007 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

19:003:008 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

19:004:001 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

19:004:002 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

19:004:003 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.

19:004:004 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

19:004:005 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.

19:004:006 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

19:004:007 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

19:004:008 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

19:005:001 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.

19:005:002 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.

19:005:003 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

19:005:004 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.

19:005:005 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

19:005:006 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

19:005:007 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

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The Psalms in the King James Version exhibit a remarkable variety of pacing, from the measured, parallel clauses of Psalm 1—'he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water'—to the abrupt, urgent cries of Psalm 3: 'Lord, how are they increased that trouble me!' This editorial note examines how the text's language and narrative voice create shifts in tempo, often within a single psalm. The recurring use of 'Selah' (as in Psalm 3:2, 4) marks deliberate pauses, inviting reflection or a change in tone. The excerpts show a collection that moves between meditative instruction, communal lament, and historical recitation, each with its own rhythmic signature.

Parallelism and Pace in the Opening Psalms

The first two psalms establish contrasting paces through their syntactic structures. Psalm 1 uses extended parallel clauses—'his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper'—creating a slow, deliberative rhythm. The repetition of 'nor' in verse 1 and the balanced contrast between the righteous and the ungodly reinforce a measured, didactic tone. In Psalm 2, the pace quickens with a series of rhetorical questions and imperative verbs: 'Why do the heathen rage?' followed by 'Let us break their bands asunder.' The shift from third-person description to direct divine speech in verse 6 ('Yet have I set my king') introduces a new voice, accelerating the tempo toward the final warning: 'Kiss the Son, lest he be angry.' The juxtaposition of these two psalms at the collection's opening establishes a pattern of alternating reflective and urgent modes.

The Lament Voice: Abrupt Shifts and Direct Address

Psalm 3 exemplifies how the lament psalms use abrupt shifts in voice to alter pace. It opens with a complaint: 'Lord, how are they increased that trouble me!' The repetition of 'many' in verses 1–2 builds a sense of overwhelming threat. Then, with 'But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me,' the voice pivots sharply to confidence, slowing the rhythm through declarative statements. The insertion of 'Selah' after verses 2 and 4 creates a caesura, forcing a pause before the speaker recounts sleeping and waking. This pattern—crisis, appeal, assurance—recurs throughout the Psalter, as seen in Psalm 79, where the initial description of desecration ('they have laid Jerusalem on heaps') gives way to a series of imperatives: 'Pour out thy wrath,' 'Help us,' 'Deliver us.' The rapid accumulation of petitions in verses 6–9 accelerates the pace, while the repeated phrase 'for thy name's sake' anchors the urgency in a theological rationale.

Historical Recitation and Narrative Tempo in Psalm 78

Psalm 78 demonstrates a different pacing strategy: the extended historical narrative. Its verses move through a sequence of events—plagues, exodus, rebellion—using paratactic coordination ('He gave up their cattle... He cast upon them... He made a way...'). This listing creates a relentless, almost breathless tempo, as each clause adds another divine act or human failure. The repetition of 'he' and 'they' maintains a steady forward motion, but the pace is periodically interrupted by evaluative statements: 'Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God.' The shift to a new section at verse 65 ('Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep') introduces a simile that momentarily slows the narrative, before resuming the rapid summary of God's choice of David. The psalm's length (72 verses) itself becomes a structural feature, sustaining a cumulative effect that contrasts with the brevity of psalms like Psalm 1 or 3.

Readers attentive to the Psalms' language will notice how the King James Version's syntax—its parallelisms, imperatives, and shifts in grammatical person—creates a dynamic reading experience. The collection rewards attention to these changes in pace, which often signal transitions between lament, praise, and instruction. Rather than a uniform lyric voice, the Psalter offers a repertoire of rhetorical modes, each with its own tempo and emotional register.

Sometimes the Psalms’ quiet shifts—grief turning to trust—remind me of that gentle collection, Treasures in Heaven Fifteenth Book of the Faith Promoting Series, Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints — A Reader’s Guide, where patience feels like a form of praise, not a lesson. Both left me sitting still afterwards, simply breathing.