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Psalm 36

1 For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.

An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. 3 The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. 4 Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.

5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.

7a How priceless is your unfailing love!

7b Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast in the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

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

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Psalm 36
The basis of the gospel

(Verses 1-4) David gives his ‘bad news’ before he can give his ‘good news’. That is a good principle in the gospel. Until you realise how bad you are before a holy God you will not grasp how desperate it is to repent from what is wrong in your life and ask Jesus to become your Saviour. The Bible says, ‘Christ died for the ungodly’ (Romans 5:8). Jesus bore your sins and was punished for them in your place on the cross. He rose again. Only by turning from sin and receiving the living Christ in your life can a sinner become accepted by God, who hates all sins, but loves you. We start by seeing how God sees me, and you too: you do not fear God but are too self-centred to ‘detect or hate’ your sin; your words are ‘wicked and deceitful’; you no longer seek to live wisely or a morally good life; you not only go astray by nature but you plan to follow ‘a sinful course’ of action; and you do ‘not reject what is wrong.’ Like me, you are a guilty sinner needing the Lord Jesus Christ to save you.

(Verses 5-7a) See how different God is in His character. This describes God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – Three in One and One in Three. God is: infinitely loving, equally faithful, hugely and perfectly righteous, limitless in His justice, preserving all animals and mankind, and not only infinite but ‘priceless’ in His ‘unfailing love.’ Can you see how far short you have come because of your sins against God, and how right Jesus was to be our perfect sacrifice for our sins when He died on the cross?

(Verses 7b-9) See what great blessings and benefits God pours on you if you turn and trust Him. This is echoed in His physical dealings with you, but it also describes perfectly how God blesses you spiritually when you turn from your sins, repent, trust Him, and seek to follow Him and please Him day by day. His blessing is not only in Heaven – He greatly will bless you right now and continually, day by day. Stay close to Him in daily praying, reading and trusting His word the Bible, and having fellowship regularly with others who are saved by trusting Jesus. He gives refuge and the shadow of His protecting wing to you. He feeds you spiritually abundantly and lets you drink of His delights. He gives you light and insight. A ‘bricky’ friend of mine, who could not read until He came to Jesus and got a Bible, said in his Yorkshire accent, “It’s better ‘felt’ than ‘telt’” ^[1]Telt is the old Scottish way of saying told, or explained

(Verses 10-12) David’s prayer is for God to continue to give him His love, make him righteous, and protect him from proud, wicked evildoers, who will fall finally.