Psa 36:1 | KingComments | STEP | From this psalm we cannot discern a direct occasion that led to its being written. We hear the language of a believer who has insight into the nature of the ungodly, into what characterizes and drives him. That insight drives him out to the excellence and greatness of God as his refuge and the abundance of blessing enjoyed with Him. The psalmist looks first at the ‘greatness’ of the ungodly and then at the greatness of God. We recognize here the experience of the believing remnant in the end time when they have to deal with ‘the ungodly’, that is, the antichrist. That the believers will be driven out to God through their knowledge of the ungodly is exactly what God wants. We see here an application of the riddle that Samson gives up: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet” ( ). The threat of the ungodly makes us all the more aware of all that we have received in Christ. As a result, ‘food’ and ‘sweetness’ come to us out of “the eater” and out of “the strong”, that is, the wicked. The psalm can be divided as follows: 1. The characteristics of the ungodly ( ). 2. Praise of God’s covenant of faithfulness and the joy over it ( ). 3. Prayer to be preserved from the ungodly ( ). For “for the choir director” ( ) see at Psalm 4:1. For “[a Psalm] of David” see at Psalm 3:1. For “the servant of the LORD” see at Psalm 18:1. There this expression occurs in the heading the first and only other time. In Hebrew, this psalm begins with the word ne’um , which means that what follows is an oracle from God. What follows is a description of the ungodly as God sees him. The characteristics described here show that there is not the slightest restraint in committing sins. It is not limited to a particular enemy in the psalmist’s life, but applies to every ungodly person. It is his nature, he lives according to it. It involves his whole being, his thinking, his words and his deeds, in short it is man under the power of sin (cf. ; ). “The transgression” here means that sin has taken the place of God in the heart of the ungodly. His life consists of “transgression” of all that God has forbidden ( ). God knows what the ungodly speaks “within his heart”. That man does not have the slightest “fear of God”. His eyes are not fixed on it. With the ungodly, the speaking of God in the heart or conscience has been replaced by the desire to transgress all that God has forbidden. This is not a heathen, but one who is consciously in rebellion against the covenant of God. It is about an apostate Jew, who will eventually find his full fulfillment in the antichrist (cf. ). Instead of awe for God, the ungodly has something else in mind and that is himself. He considers himself great. He boasts of his transgression, he justifies it, and flatters himself with all that he is able to do and is in his own eyes ( ). In doing so, he deceives himself and others. There comes a time of “the discovery of his iniquity [and] the hatred [of it]” (cf. ). This means that the ungodly will ultimately face his iniquity before the great white throne and will be judged, but here we are talking about the government of God here and now. Whoever does unrighteousness will be punished for it by God. He will be hated by God and all who love Him. Then the doers of unrighteousness will be convinced that they have loved unrighteousness and thereby sinned against God and their own lives. Without defense, they will see that the punishment they receive is deserved and just. His transgression – that is, not just doing wrong, but it is violating a prohibition – is evident in the words of wickedness and deceit that come from his mouth ( ). There is no acting wisely and doing good with him. In his words and deeds there is nothing to discover that is true and good. This is the result of the lack of awe for God. If that is lacking, there can be no wise acting. Here it says “ceased”. This indicates that he knows better, but does not do it, fails to do it. It is a culpable omission. The next verse shows that. From it is clear that the ungodly intentionally and knowingly does evil. It is willful, premeditated sinning ( ). It is rebelling against the covenant of God. “He plans wickedness upon his bed.” At night the desire to do wickedness occupies him. When he gets out of bed, “he sets himself on a path that is not good”. On such a path it is not possible to do good. “He does not despise evil” means that he knows evil but does not despise it.

‏ Psalms 36:1

Introduction

From this psalm we cannot discern a direct occasion that led to its being written. We hear the language of a believer who has insight into the nature of the ungodly, into what characterizes and drives him. That insight drives him out to the excellence and greatness of God as his refuge and the abundance of blessing enjoyed with Him. The psalmist looks first at the ‘greatness’ of the ungodly and then at the greatness of God. We recognize here the experience of the believing remnant in the end time when they have to deal with ‘the ungodly’, that is, the antichrist.

That the believers will be driven out to God through their knowledge of the ungodly is exactly what God wants. We see here an application of the riddle that Samson gives up: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet” (Jdg 14:14a). The threat of the ungodly makes us all the more aware of all that we have received in Christ. As a result, ‘food’ and ‘sweetness’ come to us out of “the eater” and out of “the strong”, that is, the wicked.

The psalm can be divided as follows:

1. The characteristics of the ungodly (Psa 36:1b-4).

2. Praise of God’s covenant of faithfulness and the joy over it (Psa 36:5-9).

3. Prayer to be preserved from the ungodly (Psa 36:10-12).

Characteristics of the Ungodly

For “for the choir director” (Psa 36:1a) see at Psalm 4:1.

For “[a Psalm] of David” see at Psalm 3:1.

For “the servant of the LORD” see at Psalm 18:1. There this expression occurs in the heading the first and only other time.

In Hebrew, this psalm begins with the word ne’um, which means that what follows is an oracle from God. What follows is a description of the ungodly as God sees him. The characteristics described here show that there is not the slightest restraint in committing sins.

It is not limited to a particular enemy in the psalmist’s life, but applies to every ungodly person. It is his nature, he lives according to it. It involves his whole being, his thinking, his words and his deeds, in short it is man under the power of sin (cf. Jer 17:9; Eph 2:1-3). “The transgression” here means that sin has taken the place of God in the heart of the ungodly.

His life consists of “transgression” of all that God has forbidden (Psa 36:1b). God knows what the ungodly speaks “within his heart”. That man does not have the slightest “fear of God”. His eyes are not fixed on it. With the ungodly, the speaking of God in the heart or conscience has been replaced by the desire to transgress all that God has forbidden. This is not a heathen, but one who is consciously in rebellion against the covenant of God. It is about an apostate Jew, who will eventually find his full fulfillment in the antichrist (cf. 2Thes 2:3-4).

Instead of awe for God, the ungodly has something else in mind and that is himself. He considers himself great. He boasts of his transgression, he justifies it, and flatters himself with all that he is able to do and is in his own eyes (Psa 36:2). In doing so, he deceives himself and others. There comes a time of “the discovery of his iniquity [and] the hatred [of it]” (cf. Num 32:23). This means that the ungodly will ultimately face his iniquity before the great white throne and will be judged, but here we are talking about the government of God here and now.

Whoever does unrighteousness will be punished for it by God. He will be hated by God and all who love Him. Then the doers of unrighteousness will be convinced that they have loved unrighteousness and thereby sinned against God and their own lives. Without defense, they will see that the punishment they receive is deserved and just.

His transgression – that is, not just doing wrong, but it is violating a prohibition – is evident in the words of wickedness and deceit that come from his mouth (Psa 36:3). There is no acting wisely and doing good with him. In his words and deeds there is nothing to discover that is true and good. This is the result of the lack of awe for God. If that is lacking, there can be no wise acting. Here it says “ceased”. This indicates that he knows better, but does not do it, fails to do it. It is a culpable omission. The next verse shows that.

From Psa 36:4 it is clear that the ungodly intentionally and knowingly does evil. It is willful, premeditated sinning (Heb 10:26). It is rebelling against the covenant of God. “He plans wickedness upon his bed.” At night the desire to do wickedness occupies him. When he gets out of bed, “he sets himself on a path that is not good”. On such a path it is not possible to do good. “He does not despise evil” means that he knows evil but does not despise it.