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

Psalm 36[a]

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.

I have a message from God in my heart
    concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:[b](A)
There is no fear(B) of God
    before their eyes.(C)

In their own eyes they flatter themselves
    too much to detect or hate their sin.(D)
The words of their mouths(E) are wicked and deceitful;(F)
    they fail to act wisely(G) or do good.(H)
Even on their beds they plot evil;(I)
    they commit themselves to a sinful course(J)
    and do not reject what is wrong.(K)

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness(L) to the skies.(M)
Your righteousness(N) is like the highest mountains,(O)
    your justice like the great deep.(P)
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.(Q)
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!(R)
    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.(S)
They feast on the abundance of your house;(T)
    you give them drink from your river(U) of delights.(V)
For with you is the fountain of life;(W)
    in your light(X) we see light.

10 Continue your love(Y) to those who know you,(Z)
    your righteousness to the upright in heart.(AA)
11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
    nor the hand of the wicked(AB) drive me away.
12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
    thrown down, not able to rise!(AC)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 36:1 In Hebrew texts 36:1-12 is numbered 36:2-13.
  2. Psalm 36:1 Or A message from God: The transgression of the wicked / resides in their hearts.

36 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.

He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.

How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

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.