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Human Wickedness and God’s Love

For the music director. Of David, the servant of Yahweh.[a]

36 An oracle: the wicked has rebellion
in the midst of his[b] heart.
There is no fear of God before his eyes.
For he flatters himself in his eyes,
hating to detect his iniquity.[c]
The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit.
He has ceased to have insight and to do good.
He plans sin on his bed.
He puts himself on a way that is not good.
He does not reject evil.
O Yahweh, your loyal love extends into the heavens,
your faithfulness unto the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,[d]
your judgments like the great deep.
You save man and beast, O Yahweh.
How precious is your loyal love, O God,
and the children of humankind
take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They are refreshed with the fullness[e] of your house,[f]
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
10 Prolong your loyal love to those who know you,
and your righteousness to the upright of heart.
11 Do not let a foot of pride come against me,
nor let a wicked hand make me to wander homeless.
12 There doers of evil have fallen;
they are thrust down and not able to rise.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 36:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 36:1 Reading with a few Hebrew manuscripts and some versions; MT reads “my”
  3. Psalm 36:2 Or “when finding his iniquity and when hating”
  4. Psalm 36:6 Literally “like the mountains of God”
  5. Psalm 36:8 Literally “fatness”
  6. Psalm 36:8 Or “temple”

Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

36 [a]Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within [b]his heart;
There is (A)no fear of God before his eyes.
For it (B)flatters him in his own eyes
Concerning the discovery of his wrongful deed and the hatred of it.
The (C)words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has (D)ceased to [c]be wise and to do good.
He (E)plans wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself on a (F)path that is not good;
He (G)does not reject evil.

Your (H)mercy, Lord, [d]extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Your (I)righteousness is like the [e]mountains of God;
Your (J)judgments are like the great deep.
Lord, You [f](K)protect mankind and animals.
How (L)precious is Your mercy, God!
And the sons of mankind (M)take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They (N)drink their fill of the [g]abundance of Your house;
And You allow them to drink from the (O)river of Your delights.
For the (P)fountain of life is with You;
In Your light we see light.

10 Prolong Your mercy to (Q)those who know You,
And Your (R)righteousness to the upright of heart.
11 May the foot of pride not come upon me,
And may the hand of the wicked not drive me away.
12 Those who do injustice have fallen there;
They have been thrust down and (S)cannot rise.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 36:1 Or Rebellion
  2. Psalm 36:1 Another reading is my heart
  3. Psalm 36:3 Or understand to do good
  4. Psalm 36:5 Lit is in
  5. Psalm 36:6 Or mighty mountains
  6. Psalm 36:6 Or help
  7. Psalm 36:8 Lit fatness