1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
5 Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt 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 O 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 remove me.
12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.
1 [[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm of David H1732 the servant H5650 of the LORD.]] H3068 The transgression H6588 of the wicked H7563 saith H5002 within H7130 my heart, H3820 that there is no fear H6343 of God H430 before his eyes. H5869
2 For he flattereth H2505 himself in his own eyes, H5869 until his iniquity H5771 be found H4672 to be hateful. H8130
3 The words H1697 of his mouth H6310 are iniquity H205 and deceit: H4820 he hath left off H2308 to be wise, H7919 and to do good. H3190
4 He deviseth H2803 mischief H205 upon his bed; H4904 he setteth H3320 himself in a way H1870 that is not good; H2896 he abhorreth H3988 not evil. H7451
5 Thy mercy, H2617 O LORD, H3068 is in the heavens; H8064 and thy faithfulness H530 reacheth unto the clouds. H7834
6 Thy righteousness H6666 is like the great H410 mountains; H2042 thy judgments H4941 are a great H7227 deep: H8415 O LORD, H3068 thou preservest H3467 man H120 and beast. H929
7 How excellent H3368 is thy lovingkindness, H2617 O God! H430 therefore the children H1121 of men H120 put their trust H2620 under the shadow H6738 of thy wings. H3671
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied H7301 with the fatness H1880 of thy house; H1004 and thou shalt make them drink H8248 of the river H5158 of thy pleasures. H5730
9 For with thee is the fountain H4726 of life: H2416 in thy light H216 shall we see H7200 light. H216
10 O continue H4900 thy lovingkindness H2617 unto them that know H3045 thee; and thy righteousness H6666 to the upright H3477 in heart. H3820
11 Let not the foot H7272 of pride H1346 come H935 against me, and let not the hand H3027 of the wicked H7563 remove H5110 me.
12 There are the workers H6466 of iniquity H205 fallen: H5307 they are cast down, H1760 and shall not be able H3201 to rise. H6965
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.
1 To the Overseer. -- By a servant of Jehovah, by David. The transgression of the wicked Is affirming within my heart, `Fear of God is not before his eyes,
2 For he made `it' smooth to himself in his eyes, To find his iniquity to be hated.
3 The words of his mouth `are' iniquity and deceit, He ceased to act prudently -- to do good.
4 Iniquity he deviseth on his bed, He stationeth himself on a way not good, Evil he doth not refuse.'
5 O Jehovah, in the heavens `is' Thy kindness, Thy faithfulness `is' unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness `is' as mountains of God, Thy judgments `are' a great deep. Man and beast Thou savest, O Jehovah.
7 How precious `is' Thy kindness, O God, And the sons of men In the shadow of Thy wings do trust.
8 They are filled from the fatness of Thy house, And the stream of Thy delights Thou dost cause them to drink.
9 For with Thee `is' a fountain of life, In Thy light we see light.
10 Draw out Thy kindness to those knowing Thee, And Thy righteousness to the upright of heart.
11 Let not a foot of pride meet me, And a hand of the wicked let not move me.
12 There have workers of iniquity fallen, They have been overthrown, And have not been able to arise!
1 {To the chief Musician. [A Psalm] of the servant of Jehovah; of David.} The transgression of the wicked uttereth within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, [even] when his iniquity is found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, to do good.
4 He deviseth wickedness up on his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good: he abhorreth not evil.
5 Jehovah, thy loving-kindness is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness [reacheth] unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the high mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: thou, Jehovah, preservest man and beast.
7 How precious is thy loving-kindness, O God! So the sons 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 Continue thy loving-kindness 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 cast down, and are not able to rise.
1 > An oracle is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked: "There is no fear of God before his eyes."
2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes, Too much to detect and hate his sin.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
4 He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good; He doesn't abhor evil.
5 Your loving kindness, Yahweh, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like a great deep. Yahweh, you preserve man and animal.
7 How precious is your loving kindness, God! The children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of your house. You will make them drink of the river of your pleasures.
9 For with you is the spring of life. In your light shall we see light.
10 Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you, Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 Don't let the foot of pride come against me. Don't let the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the workers of iniquity are fallen. They are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise.
1 <To the chief music-maker. Of the servant of the Lord. Of David.> The sin of the evil-doer says in his heart, There is no fear of the Lord before his eyes.
2 For he takes comfort in the thought that his sin will not be uncovered and hated.
3 In the words of his mouth are evil and deceit; he has given up being wise and doing good.
4 He gives thought to evil on his bed; he takes a way which is not good; he is not a hater of evil.
5 Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and your strong purpose is as high as the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judging is like the great deep; O Lord, you give life to man and beast.
7 How good is your loving mercy, O God! the children of men take cover under the shade of your wings.
8 The delights of your house will be showered on them; you will give them drink from the river of your pleasures.
9 For with you is the fountain of life: in your light we will see light.
10 O let there be no end to your loving mercy to those who have knowledge of you, or of your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, or the hand of the evil-doers put me out of my place.
12 There the workers of evil have come down: they have been made low, and will not be lifted up.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 36
Commentary on Psalms 36 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The Curse of Alienation from God, and the Blessing of Fellowship with Him
The preceding Psalm, in the hope of speedy deliverance, put into the lips of the friends of the new kingship, who were now compelled to keep in the background, the words: “Jahve, be magnified, who hath pleasure in the well-being of His servant .” David there calls himself the servant of Jahve, and in the inscription to Psalms 36:1-12 he bears the very same name: To the Precentor, by the servant of Jahve, by David . The textus receptus accents למנצח with a conjunctive Illuj ; Ben-Naphtali accents it less ambiguously with a disjunctive Legarme (vid., Psalter , ii. 462), since David is not himself the מנצח . Psalms 12:1-8; Psalms 14:1-7 (Psalms 53:1-6), Psalms 36:1-12, Ps 37, form a group. In These Psalms David complains of the moral corruption of his generation. They are all merely reflections of the character of the time, not of particular occurrences. In common with Psalms 12:1-8, the Psalm before us has a prophetic colouring; and, in common with Ps 37, allusions to the primeval history of the Book of Genesis. The strophe schema is 4. 5. 5. 6. 6.
(Heb.: 36:1-4) At the outset the poet discovers to us the wickedness of the children of the world, which has its roots in alienation from God. Supposing it were admissible to render Psalms 36:2 : “A divine word concerning the evil-doing of the ungodly is in the inward parts of my heart” ( נאם with a genitive of the object, like משּׂא , which is compared by Hofmann), then the difficulty of this word, so much complained of, might find the desired relief in some much more easy way than by means of the conjecture proposed by Diestel, נעם ( נעם ), “Pleasant is transgression to the evil-doer,” etc. But the genitive after נאם (which in Psalms 110:1; Numbers 24:3., 15f., 2 Samuel 23:1; Proverbs 30:1, just as here, stands at the head of the clause) always denotes the speaker, not the thing spoken. Even in Isaiah 5:1 שׁירת דודי לכרמו is not a song concerning my beloved in relation to His vineyard, but a song of my beloved (such a song as my beloved has to sing) touching His vineyard. Thus, therefore, פּשׁע must denote the speaker, and לרשׁע , as in Psalms 110:1 לאדני , the person or thing addressed; transgression is personified, and an oracular utterance is attributed to it. But the predicate בּקרב לבּי , which is intelligible enough in connection with the first rendering of פשׁע as genit. obj., is difficulty and harsh with the latter rendering of פשׁע as gen. subj. , whatever way it may be understood: whether, that it is intended to say that the utterance of transgression to the evil-doer is inwardly known to him (the poet), or it occupies and affects him in his inmost parts. It is very natural to read לבּו , as the lxx, Syriac, and Arabic versions, and Jerome do. In accordance therewith, while with Von Lengerke he takes נאם as part of the inscription, Thenius renders it: “Sin is to the ungodly in the midst of his heart,” i.e., it is the inmost motive or impulse of all that he thinks and does. But this isolation of נאם is altogether at variance with the usage of the language and custom. The rendering given by Hupfeld, Hitzig, and at last also by Böttcher, is better: “The suggestion of sin dwells in the ungodly in the inward part of his heart;” or rather, since the idea of בקרב is not central, but circumferential, in the realm of (within) his heart, altogether filling up and absorbing it. And in connection with this explanation, it must be observed that this combination בקרב לבו (instead of בקרבו , or בלבו , בלבבו ) occurs only here, where, together with a personification of sin, an incident belonging to the province of the soul's life, which is the outgrowth of sin, is intended to be described. It is true this application of נאם does not admit of being further substantiated; but נאם (cognate נהם , המה ), as an onomatopoetic designation of a dull, hollow sound, is a suitable word for secret communication (cf. Arabic nemmâm , a tale-bearer), or even - since the genius of the language does not combine with it the idea of that which is significantly secretly, and solemnly silently communicated, but spoken out - a suitable word for that which transgression says to the ungodly with all the solemn mien of the prophet or the philosopher, inasmuch as it has set itself within his heart in the place of God and of the voice of his conscience. לרשׁע does not, however, denote the person addressed, but, as in Psalms 32:10, the possessor. He possesses this inspiration of iniquity as the contents of his heart, so that the fear of God has no place therein, and to him God has no existence (objectivity), that He should command his adoration.
Since after this נאם פּשׁע we expect to hear further what and how transgression speaks to him, so before all else the most probable thing is, that transgression is the subject to החליק . We do not interpret: He flatters God in His eyes (with eye-service), for this rendering is contrary both to what precedes and to what follows; nor with Hupfeld (who follows Hofmann): “God deals smoothly (gently) with him according to his delusions,” for the assumption that החליק must, on account of בּעיניו , have some other subject that the evil-doer himself, is indeed correct. It does not, however, necessarily point to God as the subject, but, after the solemn opening of Psalms 36:2 , to transgression, which is personified. This addresses flattering words to him ( אל like על in Proverbs 29:5) in his eyes, i.e., such as are pleasing to him; and to what end? For the finding out, i.e., establishing ( מצא עון , as in Genesis 44:16; Hosea 12:9), or, - since this is not exactly suited to פשׁע as the subject, and where it is a purpose that is spoken of, the meaning assequi , originally proper to the verb מצא , is still more natural - to the attainment of his culpability , i.e., in order that he may inculpate himself, to hating , i.e., that he may hate God and man instead of loving them. לשׂנא is designedly used without an object just as in Ecclesiastes 3:8, in order to imply that the flattering words of פשׁע incite him to turn into an object of hatred everything that he ought to love, and to live and move in hatred as in his own proper element. Thenius endeavours to get rid of the harshness of the expression by the following easy alteration of the text: למצא עון ולשׂנא ; and interprets it: Yea, it flatters him in his own eyes (it tickles his pride) to discover faults in others and to make them suffer for them. But there is no support in the general usage of the language for the impersonal rendering of the החליק ; and the בּעיניו , which in this case is not only pleonastic, but out of place, demands a distinction between the flatterer and the person who feels himself flattered. The expression in Psalms 36:3 , in whatever way it may be explained, is harsh; but David's language, whenever he describes the corruption of sin with deep-seated indignation, is wont to envelope itself in such clouds, which, to our difficult comprehension, look like corruptions of the text. In the second strophe the whole language is more easy. להשׂכּיל להיטיב is just such another asyndeton as למצא עונו לשׂנא . A man who has thus fallen a prey to the dominion of sin, and is alienated from God, has ceased ( חדל ל , as in 1 Samuel 23:13) to act wisely and well (things which essentially accompany one another). His words when awake, and even his thoughts in the night-time, run upon און (Isaiah 59:7), evil, wickedness, the absolute opposite of that which alone is truly good. Most diligently does he take up his position in the way which leads in the opposite direction to that which is good (Proverbs 16:29; Isaiah 65:2); and his conscience is deadened against evil: there is not a trace of aversion to it to be found in him, he loves it with all his soul.
(Heb.: 36:6-10) The poet now turns from this repulsive prospect to one that is more pleasing. He contemplates, and praises, the infinite, ever sure mercy of God, and the salvation, happiness, and light which spring from it. Instead of בּשּׁמים , the expression is בּהשּׁמים , the syncope of the article not taking place. בּ alternating with עד , cf. Psalms 57:11, has here, as in Psalms 19:5; Psalms 72:16, the sense of touching or reaching to the spot that is denoted in connection with it. The poet describes the exaltation and super-eminence of divine mercy and faithfulness figuratively, after earthly standards. They reveal themselves on earth in a height that reaches to the heavens and extends to שׁחקים , i.e., the thin veil of vapour which spreads itself like a veil over the depths of the heavens; they transcend all human thought, desire, and comprehension (Psalms 103:11, and cf. Ephesians 3:18). The צדקה (righteousness) is distinguished from the אמונה (faithfulness) thus: the latter is governed by the promises of God, the former by His holiness; and further, the latter has its being in the love of God, the former, on the other hand, manifests itself partly as justifying in mercies, and partly as avenging in wrath. Concerning the righteousness, the poet says that it is like the mountains of God, i.e., (cf. cedars of God, Psalms 80:11) unchangeably firm (Psalms 111:3), like the giant primeval mountains which bear witness to the greatness and glory of God; concerning God's judgments, that they are “a great deep,” incomprehensible and unsearchable ( ἀνεξερεύνηται , Romans 11:33) as the great, deep-surging mass of waters in the lower parts of the earth, which becomes visible in the seas and in the rivers. God's punitive righteousness, as at length becomes evident, has His compassion for its reverse side; and this, as in the case of the Flood (cf. Jonah 4:11), embraces the animal world, which is most closely involved, whether for weal or for woe, with man, as well as mankind.
Lost in this depth, which is so worthy of adoration, the Psalmist exclaims: How precious (cf. Psalms 139:17) is Thy mercy, Elohim! i.e., how valuable beyond all treasures, and how precious to him who knows how to prize it! The Waw of וּבני is the explicative Waw = et hoc ipsum quod . The energetic form of the future, יחסיוּן , has the pre-tonic Kametz, here in pause, as in Psalms 36:8; Psalms 39:7; Psalms 78:44. The shadow of God's wings is the protection of His love, which hides against temptation and persecution. To be thus hidden in God is the most unspeakable blessedness, Psalms 36:9 : they satiate themselves, they drink full draughts of “the fatness of Thy house.” The house of God is His sanctuary, and in general the domain of His mercy and grace. דּשׁן (cf. טוּב , Psalms 65:5) is the expression for the abundant, pleasant, and powerful gifts and goods and recreations with which God entertains those who are His; and רוה (whence ירוין , as in Deuteronomy 8:13; Isaiah 40:18) is the spiritual joy of the soul that experiences God's mercy to overflowing. The abundant fare of the priests from Jahve's table (vid., Jeremiah 31:14), and the festive joy of the guests at the shelamim-offering, i.e., the communion-offering, - these outward rites are here treated according to their spiritual significance, receive the depth of meaning which radically belongs to them, and are ideally generalized. It is a stream of pleasures ( עדנים ) with which He irrigates and fertilizes them, a paradisaic river of delights. This, as the four arms of the river of Paradise had one common source (Genesis 2:10), has its spring in God, yea, God is the fountain itself. He is “the fountain of life” (Jeremiah 2:13); all life flows forth from Him, who is the absolutely existing and happy One. The more inwardly, therefore, one is joined to Him, the fuller are the draughts of life which he drinks from this first fountain of all life. And as God is the fountain of life, so also is He the fountain of light: “In Thy light do we see light;” out of God, seeing we see only darkness, whereas immersed in God's sea of light we are illumined by divine knowledge, and lighted up with spiritual joy. The poet, after having taken a few glimpses into the chaos of evil, here moves in the blessed depths of holy mysticism [ Mystik , i.e., mysticism in the good sense - true religion, vital godliness], and in proportion as in the former case his language is obscure. So here it is clear as crystal.
(Heb.: 36:11-13) Now for the first time, in the concluding hexastich, after complaint and commendation comes the language of prayer. The poet prays that God would lengthen out, i.e., henceforth preserve ( משׁך , as in Psalms 109:12), such mercy to His saints; that the foot of arrogance, which is conceived of as a tyrant, may not come suddenly upon him ( בּוא , as in Psalms 35:8), and that the hand of the wicked may not drive him from his home into exile (cf. Psalms 10:18). With חסד alternates צדקה , which, on its merciful side, is turned towards them that now God, and bestows upon them the promised gracious reward. Whilst the Psalmist is thus praying, the future all at once becomes unveiled to him. Certain in his own mind that his prayer will be heard, he sees the adversaries of God and of His saints for ever overthrown. שׁם , as in Psalms 14:5, points to the place where the judgment is executed. The preterites are prophetic, as in Psalms 14:5; Psalms 64:8-10. The poet, like Isaiah (Isaiah 26:14), beholds the whole tribe of the oppressors of Jahve's Church changed into a field of corpses, without hope of any rising again.