Psalm 36
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. Observe here, (1.) How great is the wickedness of men! They naturally contemn God, flatter themselves in sin, and abandon themselves to falsehood and mischief, ver. 1, 4. (2.) How great is the excellency of God, in truth, in righteousness, and in mercy! And what a fountain of preservation, support, comfort, light, and life, he is to his people! Ver. 5-9. (3.) How, from the excellency and goodness of God, the psalmist draws encouragement, to pray for himself and other saints, and to triumph in the view of his enemies’ ruin, ver. 10-12.
While I sing, let me review my natural abominations and wretchedness, and try, whether the Lord hath made me a new creature, created in Christ Jesus unto good works; and whether he hath made me taste of, admire, and trust in the exceeding riches of his grace.
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord.
1 The wicked man’s transgression
within my heart thus says,
Undoubtedly the fear of God
is not before his eyes.
2 Because himself he flattereth
in his own blinded eye,
Until the hatefulness be found
of his iniquity.
3 Words from his mouth proceeding are,
fraud and iniquity:
He to be wise, and to do good,
hath left off utterly.
4 He mischief, lying on his bed,
most cunningly doth plot:
He sets himself in ways not good,
ill he abhorreth not.
5 Thy mercy, Lord, is in the heav’ns;
thy truth doth reach the clouds:
6 Thy justice is like mountains great;
thy judgments deep as floods:
Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How precious is thy grace!
Therefore in shadow of thy wings
men’s sons their trust shall place.
8 They with the fatness of thy house
shall be well satisfied;
From rivers of thy pleasures thou
wilt drink to them provide.
9 Because of life the fountain pure
remains alone with thee;
And in that purest light of thine
we clearly light shall see.
10 Thy loving-kindness unto them
continue that thee know;
And still on men upright in heart
thy righteousness bestow.
11 Let not the foot of cruel pride
come, and against me stand;
And let me not removed be,
Lord, by the wicked’s hand.
12 There fallen are they, and ruined,
that work iniquities:
Cast down they are, and never shall
be able to arise.
