The Meaning of Psalms 104:19 Explained

Psalms 104:19

KJV: He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

YLT: He made the moon for seasons, The sun hath known his place of entrance.

Darby: He made the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth its going down.

ASV: He appointed the moon for seasons: The sun knoweth his going down.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He appointed  the moon  for seasons:  the sun  knoweth  his going down. 

What does Psalms 104:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 104:13-23 - A Habitation For Beast And Man
Where there is true love for God, there will be a glad and rejoicing heart that takes pleasure in the study of His works. The loving child of a great artist lingers about his studio, watches with eager interest the development of picture or statue, and speaks with delight to others of her father's work. It is in such a spirit that those who know God in daily fellowship and communion follow the psalmist to mountain streams, to the pastures and the meadows, the grain-fields and the orchards, the high mountains with their dark pines and firs.
There is no pen that has more eloquently portrayed these scenes than Ruskin's. He had a natural love for beauty, and an unrivaled genius for vivid description; but it was as a boy at his mother's knee that he learned from these Scriptures to connect the glories of the natural world with the devout adoration of the Creator. His books reflect this early training.
This psalm may be called a divine commentary on God's earliest book-the world which lies around us. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 104

1  A meditation upon the mighty power
7  And wonderful providence of God
31  God's glory is eternal
33  The prophet vows perpetually to praise God

What do the individual words in Psalms 104:19 mean?

He appointed the moon for seasons the sun knows its going down
עָשָׂ֣ה יָ֭רֵחַ לְמוֹעֲדִ֑ים שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ יָדַ֥ע מְבוֹאֽוֹ

עָשָׂ֣ה  He  appointed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יָ֭רֵחַ  the  moon 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵחַ  
Sense: moon.
לְמוֹעֲדִ֑ים  for  seasons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ  the  sun 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
יָדַ֥ע  knows 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
מְבוֹאֽוֹ  its  going  down 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מָבֹוא  
Sense: entrance, a coming in, entering.