Psalm 36

1 The transgressor, that he may sin, says within himself, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

2 For he has dealt craftily before him, to discover his iniquity and hate it.

3 The words of his mouth are transgression and deceit: he is not inclined to understand how to do good.

4 He devises iniquity on his bed; he gives himself to every evil way; and does not abhor evil.

5 O Lord, thy mercy is in the heaven; and thy truth reaches to the clouds.

6 Thy righteousness is as the mountains of God, thy judgments are as a great deep: O Lord, thou wilt preserve men and beasts.

7 How hast thou multiplied thy mercy, O God! so the children of men shall trust in the shelter of thy wings.

8 They shall be fully satisfied with the fatness of thine house; and thou shalt cause them to drink of the full stream of thy delights.

9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light we shall see light.

10 Extend thy mercy to them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of sinners move me.

12 There have all the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast out, and shall not be able to stand.

Psalm 36 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, [a Psalm] of David, the servant of the Lord. This title, which the psalmist takes to himself, regards him not only as a creature, every man being the servant of the Lord as such, of right, though not in fact; but as a king, he being a minister of God for good to good men, and for evil to evil men; and also may respect him as a renewed man; and it is here used in opposition to and distinction from the wicked, who are the servants of sin and Satan, of whom he speaks in this psalm. The Syriac and Arabic versions in their titles suggest that this psalm was written when David was persecuted by Saul, and which is the sense of some interpreters; but R. Obadiah thinks Ahithophel is designed by the wicked man in it; and so it was penned on account of Absalom's rebellion.