What is the imagery in Psalm 19:5?

Question

Psalm 19:5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

What does this signify? Is it romantic/sexual?

Answer 1

In Psalm 19 [verses 2-6], we read a romantic wedding analogy describing the relationship between God's sun and the earth. -- Similar to the wedding ceremony described in [Joel 2:16].

"The-Sky" ( הָ-רָקִֽיעַ ) is used as a wedding canopy / chupah (חוּפָּה) "Tent" ( אֹ֥הֶל ) to welcome the "Sun" ( שֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ ), "like a Groom" ( כְּ֭חָתָן ), to his bride "The-Earth" ( הָ-אָ֨רֶץ ).

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Tehillim 19:2

"The heavens declare the glory of God, the-sky proclaims His handiwork." ( הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים כְּבֽוֹד־אֵ֑ל וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דָ֗יו מַגִּ֥יד הָרָקִֽיעַ )

Tehillim 19:5

"Their voice carries throughout the earth, their words to the end of the world. He placed in them a tent for the sun" ( בְּכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ יָ֘צָ֤א קַוָּ֗ם וּבִקְצֵ֣ה תֵ֭בֵל מִלֵּיהֶ֑ם לַ֝שֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ שָֽׂם־אֹ֥הֶל בָּהֶֽם )

Tehillim 19:6

"And-he is like a groom coming forth from the chamber, like a hero, eager to run his course." ( וְה֗וּא כְּ֭חָתָן יֹצֵ֣א מֵחֻפָּת֑וֹ יָשִׂ֥ישׂ כְּ֝גִבּ֗וֹר לָר֥וּץ אֹֽרַח )

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Yoel 2:16 "let a bridegroom come out of his chamber and a bride from her canopy." ( יֵצֵ֚א חָתָן֙ מֵֽחֶדְר֔וֹ וְכַלָּ֖ה מֵֽחֻפָּתָֽהּ )

Answer 2

What is the imagery in Psalm 19:5?

The heavens are declaring the glory of God

David discerned that the stars and the planets that shone through “the expanse,” or atmosphere, gave irrefutable proof of the existence of a God the creator.And says.

Psalm 19:1 NET : “The heavens are declaring the glory of God; and of the work of his hands the expanse is telling.” and continues:

Psalms 19:4-6 NET

4 Their line has gone out into all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, 5 Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices like a strong person to run his course. 6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The psalmist figuratively describes the sun as a mighty person that runs from one end of the horizon to the other and then retires at night in a tent. In the morning the sun is described as a groom coming out of his nuptial chamber beaming radiantly.

Day after day and night after night, the sun runs tirelessly from one end of the horizon to the other as a silent witness giving testimony concerning God's creatorship and glory