Psalms 36:1-8

1 ipsi David noli aemulari in malignantibus neque zelaveris facientes iniquitatem

2 quoniam tamquam faenum velociter arescent et quemadmodum holera herbarum cito decident

3 spera in Domino et fac bonitatem et inhabita terram et pasceris in divitiis eius

4 delectare in Domino et dabit tibi petitiones cordis tui

5 revela Domino viam tuam et spera in eum et ipse faciet

6 et educet quasi lumen iustitiam tuam et iudicium tuum tamquam meridiem

7 subditus esto Domino et ora eum noli aemulari in eo qui prosperatur in via sua in homine faciente iniustitias

8 desine ab ira et derelinque furorem noli aemulari ut maligneris

Psalms 36:1-8 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.