Psalms 36:1-10

1 To the Overseer. -- By a servant of Jehovah, by David. The transgression of the wicked Is affirming within my heart, `Fear of God is not before his eyes,

2 For he made [it] smooth to himself in his eyes, To find his iniquity to be hated.

3 The words of his mouth [are] iniquity and deceit, He ceased to act prudently -- to do good.

4 Iniquity he deviseth on his bed, He stationeth himself on a way not good, Evil he doth not refuse.'

5 O Jehovah, in the heavens [is] Thy kindness, Thy faithfulness [is] unto the clouds.

6 Thy righteousness [is] as mountains of God, Thy judgments [are] a great deep. Man and beast Thou savest, O Jehovah.

7 How precious [is] Thy kindness, O God, And the sons of men In the shadow of Thy wings do trust.

8 They are filled from the fatness of Thy house, And the stream of Thy delights Thou dost cause them to drink.

9 For with Thee [is] a fountain of life, In Thy light we see light.

10 Draw out Thy kindness to those knowing Thee, And Thy righteousness to the upright of heart.

Psalms 36:1-10 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.