Psalm 36
The psalm is attributed to David "the servant of the Lord" (see 18, title; 35:27; Deut. 34:5; Josh. 24:29; Dan. 6:20; James 1:1; Titus 1:1). David pondered the reality of evil in God's world (vv. 1–4), he praised God's character (vv. 5–9), and then he prayed that God would protect him from evil and eventually judge the wicked. He solved the perplexing problem of evil in the world by being a worshipper, not a philosopher, and by taking personal responsibility to obey God and serve Him. If there were more salt and light in this world, there would be less decay and darkness in society.
Revelation: The Corruption of the Human Heart (vv. 1–4) In Scripture, an oracle is usually an authoritative pronouncement from the Lord; but here it is sin that is
Vindicate Me (vv. 19–28) The trial was about to end and the enemy was confi-
Psalm 36—37
God's house in verse 8. If so, then the "wings" are those of the cherubim on the mercy seat of the ark (Ex. 37:9). (See 57:1; 61:4; 63:7; Ruth 2:12; Heb. 10:19–25.) God's "shadow" offers us better protection than the world's armies! In 90:1 and 4, the image is that of the mother hen protecting her young with her outspread wings. (See Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:34.) The priests received portions of some sacrifices for their own use and would feast in the sanctuary (Lev. 6:14–23; 7:11–38; Deut. 18:1–5; 1 Sam. 2:12–17). But David sees all of God's people enjoying a feast in God's house where there is an abundance of food and water (63:1–5; 65:4). The image of the Lord's satisfying river is found often in Scripture: 46:4; Isaiah 8:5–8; Jeremiah 2:13–19; Ezekiel 47; John 4:1–15; 7:37–39; and Revelation 22:1. The word pleasures (delights) in verse 8 comes from the same Hebrew root as "Eden" in Genesis 2 and 3, and it means "delight." Man sinned and was cast out of Eden, but through faith in Christ, we have access into God's presence and can delight in His blessings. The river in verse 8 reminds us of the rivers in Eden (Gen. 2:8–14). Life and light go together (v. 9; 49:19; 56:13; John 1:4; 8:12), and the Lord is the source of both. The wicked feed on flattery (v. 2), but the righteous feed on the Lord's rich blessings.
speaking an oracle deep in the heart of the sinner. In Psalm 10, the sinner talks to himself, but here sin speaks to the sinner. Sin deceives us (Rom. 7:11) and flatters us (10:3; Deut. 29:18–19), giving us the false assurance that our rebellion will go unpunished (Gen. 3:1–5). "Listen to your heart!" the world tells us, forgetting that "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jer.17:9 nasb).
Of course, the sinner's self-confident arrogance brings tragic consequences, starting with an absence of the fear of God (v. 1). This is not the word for the reverential respect of God that all believers should cultivate, but rather the word that means the dread of God and of His judgment. Paul quotes this verse in Romans 3:8, along with other Old Testament statements that reveal the wickedness of the human heart. When we don't fear God, we flatter ourselves, and that flattery gives us more confidence to sin. We don't really see ourselves as the Lord sees us, and we are blind to our own sins and what they can do to us. (On the fear of the Lord, see 34:9; 55:19; 64:4; 111:10; 119:120; Josh. 24:14; Prov. 1:7.) This kind of person doesn't hate sin (v. 2) or despise it or reject it (v. 4) but finds delight in doing it.
When they lose the fear of God, they start to lose everything else that is important to good character and conduct. Out of a sinful heart come sinful words and sinful deeds (v. 3; Matt. 12:34–35). Instead of acting wisely, they set themselves and are determined to do evil. They don't meditate on God's truth while in bed (1:2; 16:7; 42:8; 63:6) but devise evil schemes. They can't relax and go to sleep until they've hatched a new plot (Mic. 2:1). The corrupt heart has produced a defiled conscience, a confused mind, and a perverted will.
Expectation: The Confidence of the Believer's Heart (vv. 10–12) What a privilege it is to be God's children! We are resting safely under His wings, feasting joyfully at His table, drinking abundantly from His river, and walking confidently in His light! In response to these blessings David prayed that the Lord would continue His blessings on His people (v. 10) and one day judge the wicked (vv. 11–12). God will continue to bless us if we love Him, get to know Him better, and walk in obedience to His will. David knew that the enemy was subtle and that he dared not become overconfident, so he prayed for the Lord's protection from their hands and feet. He didn't want to be knocked down and trampled upon and forced to leave his own land. By faith, David looked ahead and saw the enemies of the Lord completely defeated, and on this confidence, he continued to serve the Lord.
Adoration: The Character of God's Heart (vv. 5–9) David did a wise thing when he stopped contemplating the sinners and started focusing on the glories of the Lord. Knowing the character of God is essential to a balanced Christian life, and these five verses are a concise systematic theology. "Mercy" (vv. 5, 7, 10) is translated "lovingkindness" in the New American Standard Bible and "love" in the New International Version. Some translations use "covenant love" or "steadfast love." Mercy and faithfulness are often joined (57:3; 61:7; 85:10; 86:15), as are righteousness and justice (33:5; 89:14; 97:2). God's mercy and faithfulness are as limitless as the skies, His righteousness as firm as the mountains, and His judgments (justice) as inexhaustible and mysterious as the ocean depths (see Rom. 11:33–36). Yet He takes care of people and animals on the earth! What a gracious and generous God! His mercy is priceless, for it took the death of His Son to accomplish salvation for a lost world (1 Peter 1:18–19). The "refuge" in verse 7 is probably the Holy of Holies in the sanctuary of the Lord, for he mentions