Wisdom & Poetry · Old Testament
Psalms 36
Psalm 36: the transgression of the wicked and the mercy that reaches the heavens
General context
The speaker says the transgression of the wicked speaks within his heart that there is no fear of God before the wicked man's eyes. That man flatters himself in his own eyes until his iniquity is found to be hateful; the words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit; he has left off being wise and doing good; he devises mischief on his bed, sets himself in a way that is not good, and does not abhor evil. The speaker then turns to the Lord: his mercy is in the heavens and his faithfulness reaches the clouds; his righteousness is like the great mountains and his judgments a great deep; he preserves man and beast. He exclaims at the excellence of God's lovingkindness, because of which the children of men put their trust under the shadow of his wings; they will be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house and drink of the river of his pleasures, for with him is the fountain of life and in his light we see light. He asks the Lord to continue his lovingkindness to those who know him and his righteousness to the upright in heart, and that the foot of pride not come against him nor the hand of the wicked remove him. The last verse says that there the workers of iniquity are fallen, cast down and unable to rise.
Cited passages: Psalms 36:1, Psalms 36:2, Psalms 36:3, Psalms 36:4, Psalms 36:5, Psalms 36:6, Psalms 36:7, Psalms 36:8, Psalms 36:9, Psalms 36:10, Psalms 36:11, Psalms 36:12
Psalms 36 (KJV)
1The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
4He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
5Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
7How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
10O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
11Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
12There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.
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Historical context
The text as printed carries no heading, so no author, occasion or instrument is stated in this source. The English of verse 1 is difficult: the transgression of the wicked "saith within my heart", so the speaker reports what the wicked man's transgression tells him, and the wicked is a single unnamed figure. The speaker refers to himself only in verse 1 ("my heart") and verse 11 ("me"), and "we" appears once, in verse 9. "There" in verse 12 is not located, and that verse states the fall of the workers of iniquity as done while verse 11 was still asking to be kept from the hand of the wicked. Heavens, clouds, mountains, the deep, wings, house, river, fountain and light are images, not places, and "the fatness of thy house" is not explained. There is no Selah.
Cited passages: Psalms 36:1, Psalms 36:11, Psalms 36:9, Psalms 36:12, Psalms 36:8, Psalms 36:7
Literary context
Two portraits are set side by side with no transition between them. The wicked man (verses 1-4) is described by his eyes, his mouth, his bed and his way; the Lord (5-9) by height and depth, heavens, clouds, great mountains, a great deep. Eyes link the two: no fear of God "before his eyes", the man who flatters himself "in his own eyes", and then "in thy light shall we see light". A mouth full of iniquity is answered by a fountain of life and a river of pleasures; a bed where mischief is devised by the shadow of wings where the children of men trust. The scope widens from one man to "man and beast" and "the children of men". Petition comes only in verses 10-11, continue, let not, let not, and the last verse is a declaration rather than a request, so the poem ends with the wicked of its opening cast down. Address moves from third person (1-4) to "thou" (5-11) to a final statement.
Cited passages: Psalms 36:1, Psalms 36:2, Psalms 36:9, Psalms 36:3, Psalms 36:4, Psalms 36:7, Psalms 36:6, Psalms 36:10, Psalms 36:12, Psalms 36:5
Key moments
- No fear of God (Psalms 36:1). The transgression of the wicked says within the speaker's heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
- Mischief on his bed (Psalms 36:4). The wicked devises mischief on his bed and does not abhor evil.
- Mercy in the heavens (Psalms 36:5). The Lord's mercy is in the heavens and his faithfulness reaches the clouds.
- Shadow of thy wings (Psalms 36:7). The children of men trust under the shadow of God's wings.
- Fountain of life (Psalms 36:9). With God is the fountain of life, and in his light we see light.
- Not the foot of pride (Psalms 36:11). The speaker asks that the foot of pride not come against him.
- The workers fallen (Psalms 36:12). The workers of iniquity are fallen and cannot rise.
For reflection
The wicked man's transgression is said to speak within the speaker's own heart; what might it mean for the psalm that the description of another's evil begins as something heard inside oneself?
