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Psalms

About this book
Psalm 19

1 For the music director, a psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God;⁠ the sky displays his handiwork. 2 Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals his greatness. 3 There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. 4 Yet its voice echoes throughout the earth; its words carry to the distant horizon. In the sky he has pitched a tent for the sun.⁠ 5 Like a bridegroom it emerges from its chamber; like a strong man it enjoys running its course. 6 It emerges from the distant horizon, and goes from one end of the sky to the other;⁠ nothing can escape its heat.⁠ 7 The law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life. The rules set down by the Lord are reliable and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.⁠ 8 The Lord’s precepts are fair and make one joyful. The Lord’s commands are pure and give insight for life. 9 The commands to fear the Lord are right and endure forever. The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy and absolutely just. 10 They are of greater value than gold, than even a great amount of pure gold; they bring greater delight than honey, than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb. 11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; those who obey them receive a rich reward. 12 Who can know all his errors? Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of.⁠ 13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant sins; do not allow such sins to control me. Then I will be blameless and innocent of blatant rebellion. 14 May my words and my thoughts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord,⁠ my sheltering rock and my redeemer.

Texts in conversation

Compare Code of Hammurabi i 27 and Psalm 19:6

Ancient Near East, Babylonian · Hebrew Bible

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Summary

Hammurabi claims to rule “like Shamash,” the sun god of justice, enlightening the land. Psalm 19 similarly links the sun’s all-seeing course across the sky to a meditation on the Torah.

Passages

Code of Hammurabi i 27

Ancient Near East, Babylonian · Babylonian Legal Text
They called Babylon by his illustrious name, made it great on earth, and founded in it an everlasting kingdom whose foundations are laid as solidly as those of heaven and earth. Then Anu and Bel called me by name: Hammurabi, the exalted prince, who revered the gods, to bring about the rule of righteousness in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil-doers. So that the strong should not harm the weak, so that I should rule over the black-headed people like Shamash and enlighten the land, and further the well-being of mankind. I am Hammurabi, the prince called by Bel, who heaped up riches and plenty, who enriched Nippur and Dur-ilu beyond compare, the sublime patron of E-kur, who restored Eridu and purified the worship of E-apsu. Who conquered the four quarters of the world, made the name of Babylon great, and rejoiced the heart of Marduk his lord, who daily pays devotion in Saggil, the royal heir whom Sin made.
1750 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Code of Hammurabi

Psalm 19:6

Hebrew Bible
4 Yet its voice echoes throughout the earth; its words carry to the distant horizon. In the sky he has pitched a tent for the sun. 5 Like a bridegroom it emerges from its chamber; like a strong man it enjoys running its course. 6 It emerges from the distant horizon, and goes from one end of the sky to the other; nothing can escape its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life. The rules set down by the Lord are reliable and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. 8 The Lord’s precepts are fair and make one joyful. The Lord’s commands are pure and give insight for life.
600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

References

“... The penetrating heat and light of the Mediterranean sun (Psalm 121:6; Isaiah 49:10; Revelation 7:16) and the fact that as it crosses the heavens daily it “sees” all that happens on the face of the earth may be the reason why, in ancient Near Eastern mythology, the sun god is the god of justice, the judge of gods and humans. The Babylonian ruler Hammurabi is depicted receiving his laws from the sun god. This illuminates Psalm 19, where the description of the sun’s daily movement prefaces a meditation on the law of the Lord. The link is the statement “nothing is hid from its heat” (Psalm 19:6). The sun is the symbol of the all-seeing eye of the Lord, the judge and lawgiver. ...”
Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, and Tremper Longman III, eds., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1998), 2782–2783.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Code of Hammurabi i 27 and Psalm 19:6

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