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

36 (For the one directing. Of Dovid, the eved Hashem) Peysha speaketh to the rashah within my lev, that there is no pachad Elohim (fear of G-d) before his eyes.

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

(4) The words of his mouth are iniquity and mirmah (deceit); he hath ceased to be wise, and to do tov (good).

(5) He deviseth evil upon his mishkav (bed); he setteth himself in a derech that is not tov; he abhorreth not rah.

(6) Thy chesed, Hashem, is in HaShomayim; and Thy emunah (faithfulness) reacheth unto the clouds.

(7) Thy tzedakah is like the great mountains; Thy mishpatim are tehom rabbah (a great deep); Hashem, Thou preservest adam (man) and behemah (beast).

(8) How precious is Thy chesed, O Elohim! Therefore the Bnei Adam find refuge under the shadow of Thy wings.

(9) They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of Thy Beis [Hamikdash]; and Thou shalt give them to drink of Thy river of delight.

(10) For with Thee is the Makor Chayyim (fountain of life); in Thy Ohr shall we see ohr.

10 (11) O continue Thy chesed unto them that know Thee; and Thy tzedakah to the yishrei lev (the ones upright of heart).

11 (12) Let not the regel ga’avah (foot of pride) come against me, and let not the yad of the resha’im drive me away.

12 (13) There are the po’alei aven (workers of iniquity) fallen; they are thrown down, and shall not be able to rise.