Embrace the Word for Friday, March 13, 2026
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Psalm 36, like many of the Psalms, concludes with a petition to the LORD, but before that there is a contrast between the wicked and the LORD. Ever since the opening Psalm, the contrast has primarily been about the righteous and the wicked, but this Psalm shifts somewhat and puts forward a contrasting description between the wicked and the LORD. The superscription of Psalm 36 is unique to the rest of the Psalter: “To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the LORD.” Psalm 18 perhaps shares the closest superscription by starting with the same description, but then Psalm 18 adds a detailed historical statement. Psalm 36 shares some elements with Psalm 35. Both Psalms speak of David as a “servant” (35:27; 36 superscription). Each Psalm speaks of judgment for the wicked, as Psalm 35 prays to that end (35:8), while Psalm 36 notes it as an occurred fact (36:12). Each Psalm describes the deceitful words of the wicked (35:20; 36:3). Both Psalms speak of the prayers of the righteous as being answered (35:10, 36:7). Psalm 36 opens with a description of the wicked (36:1-4), then issues a declaration about the LORD (36:5-9), before closing with a plea to the LORD for His intervention (35:10-12).
Psalm 36 begins by describing the ways of the wicked: “Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes” (36:1). Transgression is a descriptive word about sin; transgression describes the inner attitude of rebellion against God, the inward refusal to be subject to God’s rightful authority. In the depth of his heart, the voice of rebellion counsels the wicked. The wicked do not possess any rightful notion of being afraid of God. In their spiritual blindness, they see no reason to properly fear God. And while he sees nothing of importance concerning God, he sees much about himself for which he is impressed: “For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated” (36:2). If he saw things rightly, he would come to see his sin for what it is and appropriately hate it; as it is however, he sees no problems. All of this to say that the wicked sees no reason to be concerned about the consequences of their sin. The wicked seems to have successfully quieted their conscience.
Moving from the inner workings of the wicked to their outward manifestations, the fruit of the wicked is, well, wickedness: “The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good” (36:3). First, the wicked deploy their words wickedly as they create trouble and craft deception to others around them. Second, the wicked display their deeds wickedly as they trash any notion of wisdom, and toss any attempt to do good. This fruit of the wicked is not accidental, but premeditated: “He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil” (36:4). The wicked do not really need any outside influence, they automatically possess all the inner qualities necessary to scheme ways to create trouble. The very inclination that frames their scheming is bent away from good and fully tilted toward what is evil.
David shifts his focus away from the wicked as he begins to worshipfully declare what God is like: “Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD” (36:5-6). As David speaks of the LORD, he particularly focuses in on the covenant attributes of God, that is, those qualities that all who live in covenant relationship with the LORD come to experience. Steadfast love and faithfulness are coupled together so often throughout the Old Testament, that it seems we hardly notice. They seem almost inseparable, especially in the Psalter, but consider a somewhat familiar passage: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (See Lamentation 3:22-23). There is nothing higher than the heavens and the clouds, but then again there is—the LORD’s unchanging love and devotion, coupled with the LORD’s absolute commitment to the truth, and utter reliability that He is true to the truth—extends higher. The LORD is also righteous, that is, He knows what is always the right thing to do and he only does that which is right. There is something more massive and immovable and stable than the mountains—the right and just acts of the LORD. Thus, the LORD’s judgments, as in decisions, are always right, all the time. All of these covenant qualities of the LORD simply spell salvation for the people of God.
David personalizes his thoughts concerning what he has declared about the LORD: “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings” (36:7). David regards what he confesses to be true about the LORD as immensely precious to him. The LORD’s steadfast love is a protecting love. When we see Him as He is—a refuge for His people—we take cover in Him. The precious steadfast love of the LORD is not only a protecting love, it is also a providing love: “They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights” (36:8). The LORD’s people can feast on the LORD’s abundance, and they can drink from the LORD’s supply. Without the LORD’s provision, we would wither and perish; but through the LORD’s provision, we can be full and satisfied. Certainly, what David is describing applies quite literally to our physical protection and provision, but it should also be taken to mean that our souls can be fully satisfied too. For it is the presence of their LORD in His house, and “the river of your delights” that we can feast upon and drink deeply from. David adds one more thing that he personally treasures: “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light” (36:9). It is the LORD who imparts not only protection and provision for life; He imparts life itself. And with the life He imparts to His people, he also provides light—the clarity of perspective, that we might think rightly about our lives and the One who have given us all that we need.
After his description of the wicked and his declaration about the LORD, David offers a specific plea: “Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart!” (36:10). David turns his personal reflection upon the LORD’s steadfast love and righteousness, into a petition to the LORD that He maintain these experiences toward him. David is reaching back to what he said about the blessings of being in covenant relationship with the LORD and asks the LORD to continue what the LORD has promised that He would continue. This is a wonderful portrait of true praying. The richest prayers consist of asking the LORD to do what He has promised in His Word that He would do. Praying expresses what our hearts most desire. Thus praying for what God has said reflects a heart that wants what God wants.
David also prays in regard to the wicked: “Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away” (36:11). David continues reaching back, but in this petition, he reaches back to what he said about the wicked. David pleads that he not be overrun and run off by the arrogant kind of people that he earlier described. David concludes with an understanding of the wicked’s future: “There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise” (36:12). The steadfast love of the LORD is a refuge for His people. The wicked are not afforded such protection. The wicked will be brought down, taken out, never to return again. As we were told at the opening of the Psalter, the wicked’s reign of terror will not last, for “the way of the wicked will perish” (See Psalm 1:6).
As we reflect on Psalm 36 we can consider how Paul uses this Psalm in the case he builds concerning the universal sinfulness of all human beings: “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (See Romans 3:18, quoting Psalm 36:1). One of the worst effects of sin is that we do not have a proper fear of God. We ignore the horrible reality of the judgment that we are under. But Paul’s charges against the sinfulness of all of mankind, is the context in which he shows the depth of God’s love in rescuing sinners by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God” (See Romans 5:8-9). Thankfully because of Christ and through faith, judgment is not our future. A “fountain of life” is our future: “To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment” (See Revelation 21:6).
That’s all for Embrace the Word for Friday, March 13, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Monday, March 16, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 37.