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

Human Wickedness and God’s Love

For the choir director. A psalm of David, the Lord’s servant.

An oracle within my heart
concerning the transgression of the wicked person:
There is no dread of God before his eyes,(A)
for in his own eyes he flatters himself too much
to discover and hate his sin.(B)
The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive;(C)
he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.(D)
Even on his bed he makes malicious plans.(E)
He sets himself on a path that is not good
and does not reject evil.(F)

Lord, Your faithful love reaches to heaven,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.(G)
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains;
Your judgments, like the deepest sea.(H)
Lord, You preserve man and beast.(I)
God, Your faithful love is so valuable
that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.(J)
They are filled from the abundance of Your house;
You let them drink from Your refreshing stream,(K)
for with You is life’s fountain.(L)
In Your light we will see light.(M)

10 Spread Your faithful love over those who know You,
and Your righteousness over the upright in heart.(N)
11 Do not let the foot of the arrogant man come near me
or the hand of the wicked one drive me away.(O)
12 There the evildoers fall;
they have been thrown down and cannot rise.(P)