Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Psalms » Chapter 36 » Verse 7

Psalms 36:7 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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

Cross Reference

Ruth 2:12 STRONG

The LORD H3068 recompense H7999 thy work, H6467 and a full H8003 reward H4909 be given thee of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 under whose wings H3671 thou art come H935 to trust. H2620

Psalms 91:4 STRONG

He shall cover H5526 thee with his feathers, H84 and under his wings H3671 shalt thou trust: H2620 his truth H571 shall be thy shield H6793 and buckler. H5507

Psalms 17:8 STRONG

Keep H8104 me as the apple H380 of the eye, H1323 H5869 hide H5641 me under the shadow H6738 of thy wings, H3671

1 John 3:1 STRONG

Behold, G1492 what manner G4217 of love G26 the Father G3962 hath bestowed G1325 upon us, G2254 that G2443 we should be called G2564 the sons G5043 of God: G2316 therefore G1223 G5124 the world G2889 knoweth G1097 us G2248 not, G3756 because G3754 it knew G1097 him G846 not. G3756

Psalms 139:17 STRONG

How precious H3365 also are thy thoughts H7454 unto me, O God! H410 how great H6105 is the sum H7218 of them!

Psalms 57:1 STRONG

[[To the chief Musician, H5329 Altaschith, H516 Michtam H4387 of David, H1732 when he fled H1272 from H6440 Saul H7586 in the cave.]] H4631 Be merciful H2603 unto me, O God, H430 be merciful H2603 unto me: for my soul H5315 trusteth H2620 in thee: yea, in the shadow H6738 of thy wings H3671 will I make my refuge, H2620 until these calamities H1942 be overpast. H5674

Psalms 31:19 STRONG

Oh how great H7227 is thy goodness, H2898 which thou hast laid up H6845 for them that fear H3373 thee; which thou hast wrought H6466 for them that trust H2620 in thee before the sons H1121 of men! H120

2 Peter 1:4 STRONG

Whereby G1223 G3739 are given G1433 unto us G2254 exceeding great G3176 and G2532 precious G5093 promises: G1862 that G2443 by G1223 these G5130 ye might be G1096 partakers G2844 of the divine G2304 nature, G5449 having escaped G668 the corruption G5356 that is in G1722 the world G2889 through G1722 lust. G1939

1 John 4:9-10 STRONG

In G1722 this G5129 was manifested G5319 the love G26 of God G2316 toward G1722 us, G2254 because G3754 that God G2316 sent G649 his G846 only begotten G3439 Son G5207 into G1519 the world, G2889 that G2443 we might live G2198 through G1223 him. G846 Herein G1722 G5129 is G2076 love, G26 not G3754 that G3756 we G2249 loved G25 God, G2316 but G235 that G3754 he G846 loved G25 us, G2248 and G2532 sent G649 his G846 Son G5207 to be the propitiation G2434 for G4012 our G2257 sins. G266

Exodus 34:6 STRONG

And the LORD H3068 passed by H5674 before him, H6440 and proclaimed, H7121 The LORD, H3068 The LORD H3068 God, H410 merciful H7349 and gracious, H2587 longsuffering, H750 H639 and abundant H7227 in goodness H2617 and truth, H571

1 Peter 2:6-7 STRONG

Wherefore G1352 also G2532 it is contained G4023 in G1722 the scripture, G1124 Behold, G2400 I lay G5087 in G1722 Sion G4622 a chief corner G204 stone, G3037 elect, G1588 precious: G1784 and G2532 he that believeth G4100 on G1909 him G846 shall G2617 not be G3364 confounded. G2617 Unto you G5213 therefore G3767 which G3588 believe G4100 he is precious: G5092 but G1161 unto them which be disobedient, G544 the stone G3037 which G3739 the builders G3618 disallowed, G593 the same G3778 is made G1096 G1519 the head G2776 of the corner, G1137

John 3:16 STRONG

For G1063 God G2316 so G3779 loved G25 the world, G2889 that G5620 he gave G1325 his G846 only begotten G3439 Son, G5207 that G2443 whosoever G3956 believeth G4100 in G1519 him G846 should G622 not G3361 perish, G622 but G235 have G2192 everlasting G166 life. G2222

Luke 13:34 STRONG

O Jerusalem, G2419 Jerusalem, G2419 which G3588 killest G615 the prophets, G4396 and G2532 stonest G3036 them that are sent G649 unto G4314 thee; G846 how often G4212 would G2309 I have gathered G1996 thy G4675 children G5043 together, G1996 as G3739 G5158 a hen G3733 doth gather her G1438 brood G3555 under G5259 her wings, G4420 and G2532 ye would G2309 not! G3756

Psalms 145:7-8 STRONG

They shall abundantly utter H5042 the memory H2143 of thy great H7227 goodness, H2898 and shall sing H7442 of thy righteousness. H6666 The LORD H3068 is gracious, H2587 and full of compassion; H7349 slow H750 to anger, H639 and of great H1419 mercy. H2617

Psalms 86:15 STRONG

But thou, O Lord, H136 art a God H410 full of compassion, H7349 and gracious, H2587 longsuffering, H750 H639 and plenteous H7227 in mercy H2617 and truth. H571

Psalms 86:5 STRONG

For thou, Lord, H136 art good, H2896 and ready to forgive; H5546 and plenteous H7227 in mercy H2617 unto all them that call H7121 upon thee.

Psalms 63:7 STRONG

Because thou hast been my help, H5833 therefore in the shadow H6738 of thy wings H3671 will I rejoice. H7442

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 36

Commentary on Psalms 36 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Introduction

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.


Verses 1-4

(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.


Verses 5-9

(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.


Verses 10-12

(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.