Time is also part of Yahweh’s creation and is a provision for the needs of all living beings. The moon marked the time of the festivals (see Gen 1.14); the Hebrew word for seasons in verse 19a does not mean precisely what we call the four seasons of the year. The Hebrews followed a lunar calendar, the beginning of each month being determined by the new moon; so Good News Translation translates “months”; Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “the festivals”; Bible en français courant “the dates”; New English Bible “to measure the year”; and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “to measure time.” The Hebrew of verse 19a is “He made” (see Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem); many translations (see Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) have “You made,” without a textual note. New American Bible, however, reads the participle “making” (only a change of vowels in the Hebrew text) and provides a note. New International Version, quite alone, has “the moon” as the subject: “The moon marks off the seasons.” Verse 19b refers to the day, which began at sunset. If the translator follows Good News Translation, it may be necessary in some languages to say, for example, “You created the moon to show when each month begins.” In some languages the personification of the sun in the sun knows … may have to be recast to say, for example, “the sun sets when it should” or “the sun sets at the right time.”

Darkness and night (verse 20) were thought of as having real existence, and not simply as the absence of light. They also are part of God’s beneficent creation, a time when the wild animals leave their dens and roam about. Verse 21 speaks specifically of the young lions as they hunt, seeking their food from God, that is, “the food that God provides” for them. All of the natural order depends on God’s sustenance, care, and provision.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .