Psalms 36
BSASBDavid paints two pictures side by side. First comes the wicked man, who has lost all fear of God and plans evil even in bed. Then David lifts his eyes to God’s boundless love, which shelters, feeds and enlightens all who trust Him. He ends with a prayer to be kept safe, and a glimpse of the wicked fallen for good.
Psalms 36:1
David says a message about the wicked man’s sin has come deep into his heart. What it reveals is that evil starts with having no fear of God. The wicked man acts as though God were not watching, so he feels free to do anything.
BSA: oracle (“a divine message, revelation”): David presents this as a word received from God, not just his own opinion of bad people. fear (“reverence, awe”): The missing thing is awe of God, a sense that He is real and to be honored.
Hebrew: נְאֻם (ne’um, H5002) — “utterance, declaration.” This is the word usually used for a prophet’s ‘declares the LORD.’ David uses it to say that this insight is a solemn word, not a passing thought.
See also: Romans 3:18.
Psalms 36:2
The wicked man flatters himself so much that he cannot see his own sin, let alone hate it. Pride blinds him. He never faces what he is, so he never turns from it.
BSA: conceit (“self-flattery, pride”): He keeps telling himself he is fine, and that self-praise hides the truth about his sin.
Psalms 36:3
His speech shows what is inside him: wrongdoing and lies. He has also stopped acting wisely and doing good. Wickedness is not only doing bad things. It is also giving up on discernment and goodness.
BSA: ceased (“stopped, left off”): There was a time he did better. He has left off wisdom and goodness, and it is a decline.
Psalms 36:4
Even in bed, when others rest, he lies awake planning harm. Evil has become his settled way of life. He does not reject what is wrong. This is a sad picture of a heart set on sin around the clock.
BSA: bed (“lying down, in a state of rest”): Even his quiet hours go to scheming, so no part of his day is free from evil. path (“way of life”): This is a settled direction of life, not a single wrong step.
See also: Psalm 1:1; Micah 2:1.
Psalms 36:5
The mood changes completely. After the dark picture of the wicked, David looks up at God. His steady love and faithfulness reach as high as the sky. Whatever people do, God’s character does not change or run out.
BSA: loving devotion (“faithful love, kindness”): This is love that keeps its promises, tied to God’s covenant with His people. faithfulness (“trustworthiness, reliability”): God can be counted on, so His people can lean their whole weight on Him.
Hebrew: חֶסֶד (chesed, H2617) — “loyal, covenant love.” This is one of the great words of the Old Testament. It means love that stays faithful and does not give up, and it is far more than a passing feeling.
See also: Psalm 103:11.
Psalms 36:6
God’s righteousness is as firm and towering as the greatest mountains. His judgments are as deep as the ocean, too deep for us to measure. Yet the same God cares for every creature, keeping both people and animals alive.
BSA: judgments (“a great deep, profound and unsearchable”): God’s rulings run deeper than we can fathom, so we trust Him even when we cannot trace His ways. preserve (“save and keep alive”): God’s care reaches to daily life and breath, not only to rescue from danger.
See also: Romans 11:33.
Psalms 36:7
God’s love is beyond price. Because of it, ordinary people of every kind can run to Him for shelter. The picture is of a bird covering its young under its wings. Nothing is more precious than being safe in God.
BSA: precious (“excellent, of great value”): David values God’s love above everything else he could have. shadow (“shade, shelter”): The wings give cover from heat and danger, as a mother bird covers her chicks.
See also: Psalm 91:4; Matthew 23:37.
Psalms 36:8
Those who shelter in God also find a feast. They are filled from His house and drink from a river of His delights. God does more than protect. He satisfies the deep hunger and thirst of the soul with joy.
BSA: feast (“are abundantly satisfied, gain strength”): The picture is of being fully filled and strengthened, not just fed a little. river (“stream, great blessings”): God’s goodness flows freely and never runs dry.
Hebrew: עֵדֶן (’eden, H5730) — “delight, pleasure.” The word for ‘delights’ sounds like the name Eden. It hints at the joy and fullness of life with God as He first meant it.
See also: Psalm 23:5; Revelation 22:1.
Psalms 36:9
God is the source of life itself, like a spring that never stops flowing. And by His light we truly see. He lights up the world and our own hearts, so that we begin to understand what is real and true.
BSA: fountain (“spring, well”): Life is not stored up somewhere else. It keeps welling up from God Himself. light (“truth, wisdom, spiritual insight”): Seeing by God’s light means understanding things as they truly are.
See also: John 8:12; Jeremiah 2:13.
Psalms 36:10
David now prays that God’s love and righteousness would keep on reaching those who know Him and are honest at heart. To know God is more than knowing about Him. It means a real, close relationship.
BSA: know (“personally, intimately”): This is a personal acquaintance with God, not just facts about Him. upright (“those who are blameless, sincere”): It describes people with an honest, undivided heart toward God.
Psalms 36:11
David asks God to keep the proud from trampling him and the wicked from driving him out. He knows that the man described in verses 1-4 is dangerous. He trusts God, not his own strength, to protect him.
BSA: foot (“of pride, arrogant step”): The proud walk over others without caring who gets hurt. drive me away (“remove, displace”): David fears being pushed out of his place, and perhaps away from God’s house.
Psalms 36:12
David ends by seeing the wicked already fallen, so sure is he of the outcome. They are thrown down and cannot get up. Their pride does not last, while those who take refuge in God stand secure.
BSA: fallen (“thrust down, overthrown”): Their downfall is complete and is not just a stumble.
See also: Psalm 1:4-6.