Psalms 36

This Psalm presents two contrasted pictures: one of the godless principles and conduct of the man who has made deliberate choice of evil; the other of the universal and inexhaustible lovingkindness of God. From the prevailing wickedness around him (to which he is in danger of falling a victim, Psalms 36:11), the Psalmist turns for relief and comfort to contemplate the goodness of God. The wicked man may deny God’s Providence and defy His judgements, but to the eye of faith His goodness is supreme, and His judicial righteousness will ultimately be triumphant. The contemplation of that goodness brings the folly of deserting God into strong relief, and suggests the greatness of the loss which man incurs by his apostasy. The abruptness of the transition from Psalms 36:1-4 to Psalms 36:5 ff. has suggested the hypothesis that we have here parts of two Psalms, which have been combined by an editor. But the hypothesis is unnecessary. The two parts are related like the two members of an antithetic proverb (e.g. Proverbs 14:22); and the reader is left to interpret the connexion for himself. Moreover the connexion of thought and language in Psalms 36:11-12 with Psalms 36:1-4 is decidedly in favour of the unity of the Psalm. The structure of the Psalm is clear and simple. i. The principle of godlessness (Psalms 36:1-2), and the practical results to which it leads (Psalms 36:3-4). ii. The gloriousness of God’s attributes (Psalms 36:5-6), and His beneficence to man (Psalms 36:7-9). iii. Prayer for blessing (Psalms 36:10), and protection (Psalms 36:11); and confident anticipation of the overthrow of the wicked (Psalms 36:12). For the title servant of the Lord in the inscription comp. the inscription of Psalms 18; and Psalms 35:27.

Psalms 36:1-2

1, 2. The ground of the godless man’s security in his sin.

Psalms 36:2

2. A much disputed verse. Three renderings of the first line deserve consideration. (1) Taking the wicked man as the subject, we may render as the A.V. (2) Taking Transgression as the subject, we may render, For It flattereth him in his eyes. (3) Taking God as the subject, we may render, For He flattereth him in his eyes. The third rendering, whether it is explained to mean, ‘God treats him gently, so he imagines,’ (Cheyne) or, ‘God’s threatenings seem to him mere idle words,’ can hardly be supported by the usage of the word. The first agrees best with the reading my heart in Psalms 36:1, giving the ground of the Psalmist’s conviction expressed there. But if the better reading, his heart, is adopted, the second rendering gives the best connexion. It explains how Transgression goes to work. It ‘speaks smooth things and prophesies deceits’ to him, concerning the finding out of his iniquity and hating it, i.e. as R.V., That his iniquity shall not be found out and be hated: dragged to light in order to be punished, and exposed in its true hatefulness. The word find out is frequently used of detection with a view to punishment. See Psalms 17:3 : 1 Kings 1:52.

Psalms 36:3-4

3, 4. The fruits of this reckless atheism described.

Psalms 36:4

4. mischief] Iniquity, as in Psalms 36:3; Psalms 36:12. upon his bed] In the stillness of the night, the time for repentance (Psalms 4:4), and recollection of God (Psalms 63:6), he is restlessly planning his crimes. For illustration see Micah 2:1 ff. he setteth himself &c.] Evil courses are his deliberate choice; conscience is blunted, and wrong excites no abhorrence. Cp. Psalms 1:1; Proverbs 16:29; Isaiah 65:2.

Psalms 36:5-9

5–9. From the grievous spectacle of human perversity the Psalmist takes refuge in adoring contemplation of the character of God, the only source of life and light, who deals blessing liberally to all His creatures.

Psalms 36:6

6. Jehovah’s righteousness—His faithfulness to His character and covenant (Psalms 5:8), manifested alike in mercy and in judgement—is like the mountains of God (El), immovably firm (Psalms 111:3), eternally unchanged, majestically conspicuous. God’s works proclaim their Author, and reflect His attributes. Cp. Psalms 104:16; Psalms 65:9; Psalms 80:10. The great mountains is a paraphrase which obscures the meaning. a great deep] Mysterious, unfathomable, inexhaustible, as the vast subterranean abyss of waters (Psalms 33:7; Genesis 7:11; Job 28:14; Job 38:16). Cp. Romans 11:33. preservest] Or, savest. The lower animals are the objects of God’s care as well as man. See Psalms 104:14; Psalms 104:27-28; Psalms 147:9; Jonah 4:11; Matthew 6:26 ff; Matthew 10:29 ff.

Psalms 36:7

7. How excellent] How precious (R.V.). It is the Psalmist’s treasure. Cp. Psalms 139:17. O God] The substitution of God for Jehovah is significant. The Psalmist is speaking of a love which extends beyond the limits of the chosen people, and embraces all mankind. The children of men—lit. sons of man (Psalms 14:2) are men regarded as earthborn and mortal in contrast to God. therefore &c.] And the children of men take refuge &c. (R.V.). Cp. Psalms 17:7-8, note; Rth 2:12.

Psalms 36:8

8. God is more than a protector. He is a bountiful host, who provides royal entertainment for His guests. Cp. Psalms 23:5-6; Psalms 27:4; Psalms 65:4. The metaphor is derived from the sacrificial meal, in which God receives the worshipper at His table[12] (Leviticus 7:15; Jeremiah 31:14). That welcome is the sacramental expression of His relation to man. [12] See Bp. Westcott’s Hebrews, p. 292.the river of thy pleasures] Or, the stream (Amos 5:24) of thy delights: a different word from that in Psalms 16:11, and derived from the same root as Eden.

Psalms 36:9

9. The expectation of Psa 36:8 is no idle dream, for God is the source of life and light. From Him springs all that constitutes life (Psalms 34:12), physical and spiritual (cp. Jeremiah 2:13; Jeremiah 17:13): from Him proceeds all that makes up true happiness (cp. Psalms 4:6). Golden sayings like this anticipate the revelation of the Gospel. It is only in the light of the Incarnation that their depth of meaning begins to be understood. Cp. John 1:4; John 1:9.

Psalms 36:10-12

10–12. Concluding prayer for the continuance of God’s lovingkindness and for protection from the wicked, with a confident anticipation of the final downfall of evil-doers. Psalms 36:10 springs naturally out of Psa 36:5-9, and Psalms 36:11-12 clearly revert to Psalms 36:1-4.

Psalms 36:11

11. Let me not be trampled under foot by proud oppressors, or driven from my home by wicked violence. This verse clearly refers to Psalms 36:1-4. The Psalmist is himself in danger of falling a victim to the ruthless oppressors there described. remove me] R.V. drive me away, from hearth and home to become a wanderer and a vagabond. The word may be used of exile (2 Kings 21:8; Jeremiah 4:1); but there is not the slightest hint here of an impending invasion. What the Psalmist fears is treatment like that described in Micah 2:9, leaving him a homeless beggar (Job 15:23; Psalms 109:10).

Psalms 36:12

12. With the eye of faith he beholds the certain and irreparable ruin of the “workers of iniquity” (Psalms 36:3-4 : cp. Psalms 5:5; Psalms 6:8; Psalms 14:4). There points to the scene of their discomfiture. Cp. Psalms 14:5; Psalms 64:8. they are cast down] R.V. they are thrust down (Psalms 5:10; Psalms 35:5), and overthrown for ever. Cp. Isaiah 26:14. Such judgements are an earnest of the final triumph (Romans 16:20).