1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, That his iniquity will not be found out and be hated.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: He hath ceased to be wise `and' to do good.
4 He deviseth iniquity upon his bed; He setteth himself in a way that is not good; He abhorreth not evil.
5 Thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, is in the heavens; Thy faithfulness `reacheth' unto the skies.
6 Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God; Thy judgments are a great deep: O Jehovah, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; And thou wilt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9 For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light.
10 Oh continue thy lovingkindness unto 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 the wicked drive me away.
12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: They are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise. Psalm 37 `A Psalm' of David.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 36
Commentary on Psalms 36 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 36
It is uncertain when, and upon what occasion, David penned this psalm, probably when he was struck at either by Saul or by Absalom; for in it he complains of the malice of his enemies against him, but triumphs in the goodness of God to him. We are here led to consider, and it will do us good to consider seriously,
If, in singing this psalm, our hearts be duly affected with the hatred of sin and satisfaction in God's lovingkindness, we sing it with grace and understanding.
To the chief Musician. A psalm of David the servant of the Lord.
Psa 36:1-4
David, in the title of this psalm, is styled the servant of the Lord; why in this, and not in any other, except in Ps. 18 (title), no reason can be given; but so he was, not only as every good man is God's servant, but as a king, as a prophet, as one employed in serving the interests of God's kingdom among men more immediately and more eminently than any other in his day. He glories in it, Ps. 116:16. It is no disparagement, but an honour, to the greatest of men, to be the servants of the great God; it is the highest preferment a man is capable of in this world.
David, in these verses, describes the wickedness of the wicked; whether he means his persecutors in particular, or all notorious gross sinners in general, is not certain. But we have here sin in its causes and sin in its colours, in its root and in its branches.
Some think that David, in all this, particularly means Saul, who had cast off the fear of God and left off all goodness, who pretended kindness to him when he gave him his daughter to wife, but at the same time was devising mischief against him. But we are under no necessity of limiting ourselves so in the exposition of it; there are too many among us to whom the description agrees, which is to be greatly lamented.
Psa 36:5-12
David, having looked round with grief upon the wickedness of the wicked, here looks up with comfort upon the goodness of God, a subject as delightful as the former was distasteful and very proper to be set in the balance against it. Observe,