How Precious Is Your Steadfast Love

To the choirmaster. Of David, the (A)servant of the Lord.

36 Transgression speaks to the wicked
    deep in his heart;[a]
(B)there is no fear of God
    before his eyes.
(C)For he flatters himself in his own eyes
    that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
The words of his mouth are (D)trouble and deceit;
    (E)he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
He (F)plots (G)trouble while on his bed;
    he sets himself in (H)a way that is not good;
    (I)he does not reject evil.

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.
(J)Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
    (K)your judgments are like the great deep;
    man and beast you (L)save, O Lord.

(M)How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
    The children of mankind take refuge (N)in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on (O)the abundance of your house,
    and you give them drink from (P)the river of (Q)your delights.
For with you is (R)the fountain of life;
    (S)in your light do we see light.

10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who (T)know you,
    and your righteousness to (U)the upright of heart!
11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
    nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There (V)the evildoers lie fallen;
    they are thrust down, (W)unable to rise.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 36:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac, Jerome (compare Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts in my heart

Wickedness of Men and Lovingkindness of God.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

36 Transgression speaks [like an oracle] to the wicked (godless) [deep] within his heart;
There is no fear (dread) of God before his eyes.(A)

For he flatters and deceives himself in his own eyes
Thinking that his sinfulness will not be discovered and hated [by God].

The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

He plans wrongdoing on his bed;
He sets himself on a path that is not good;
He does not reject or despise evil.


Your lovingkindness and graciousness, O Lord, extend to the skies,
Your faithfulness [reaches] to the clouds.

Your righteousness is like the mountains of God,
Your judgments are like the great deep.
O Lord, You preserve man and beast.

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house;
And You allow them to drink from the river of Your delights.

For with You is the fountain of life [the fountain of life-giving water];
In Your light we see light.(B)

10 
O continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness (salvation) to the upright in heart.
11 
Do not let the foot of the proud [person] overtake me,
And do not let the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 
There those who [are perverse and] do evil have fallen;
They have been thrust down and cannot rise.