Psalms 36:1

Man’s Wickedness and God’s Perfections

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

1 An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked:
^aThere is no fear of God before his eyes.

2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes,
When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.

3 The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
^aHe has ceased to be wise and to do good.

4 ^aHe devises wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself ^bin a way that is not good;
He does not¹ abhor ^cevil.

5 Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the¹ great mountains;
^aYour judgments are a great deep;
O Lord, You preserve man and beast.

7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men ^aput their trust under the shadow of Your wings.

8 ^aThey are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from ^bthe river of Your pleasures.

9 ^aFor with You is the fountain of life;
^bIn Your light we see light.

10 Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

11 Let not the foot of pride come against me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12 There the workers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been cast down and are not able to rise.

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

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Psalms 36:1

The transgression of the wicked - There is considerable difficulty in respect to the grammatical construction of the Hebrew in this verse, though the general sense is plain. The main idea undoubtedly is, that the fair explanation of the conduct of the wicked, or the fair inference to be derived from that conduct was, that they had no fear of God before them; that they did in no proper way regard or fear God. The psalmist introduces himself as looking at the conduct or the acts of the wicked, and he says that their conduct can be explained, in his judgment, or "in his heart," in no other way than on this supposition. The word "transgression" here refers to some open and public act. What the particular act was the psalmist does not state, though probably it had reference to something which had been done to himself. What is here said, however, with particular reference to his enemies, may be regarded as a general truth in regard to the wicked, to wit, that their conduct is such that the fair interpretation of what they do is, that there is no "fear of God before their eyes," or that they have no regard for his will.

Saith - This word - n^e 'ûm - is a participle from a verb, nâ'am , meaning to mutter; to murmur; to speak in a low voice; and is employed especially with reference to the divine voice in which the oracles of God were revealed to the prophets. Compare I Kings 19:12. It is found most commonly in connection with the word "Lord" or "Yahweh," expressed by the phrase "Saith the Lord," as if the oracle were the voice of Yahweh. Genesis 22:16; Numbers 14:28; Isaiah 1:24; Isaiah 3:15, "et saepe." It is correctly rendered here "saith;" or, the "saying" of the transgression of the wicked is, etc. That is, this is what their conduct "says;" or, this is the fair interpretation of their conduct.

Within my heart - Hebrew: "in the midst of my heart." Evidently this means in my judgment; in my apprehension; or, as we should say, "So it seems or appears to me." My heart, or my judgment, puts this construction on their conduct, and can put no other on it.

That there is "no fear of God - No reverence for God; no regard for his will. The sinner acts without any restraint derived from the law or the will of God.

Before his eyes - He does not see or apprehend God; he acts as if there were no God. This is the fair interpretation to be put upon the conduct of the wicked "everywhere" - that they have no regard for God or his law.

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