The curse of wickedness and the blessedness of fellowship with God.
The psalmist complains of the moral corruption of his generation, and points the character of the time rather than any particular occurrence—unless "the foot of pride" in the eleventh verse may possibly refer to some invader that he dreaded. We have here a vivid description of the cursed state of ingrained, deliberate wickedness, and of the supreme blessedness of fellowship with God.
I. THE CURSE OF INGRAINED, DELIBERATE WICKEDNESS. (Psalms 36:1-4.) Represented under two main aspects.
1. The utter degeneracy of his thoughts. (Psalms 36:1, Psalms 36:2.) Translate, "The oracle, or voice, of transgression is in the heart of the wicked;" i.e. evil is the sovereign voice that speaks to or commands him. It is the only imperative voice that he hears—not the voice of conscience or duty. As a consequence, he does not see or hear God, and, therefore, does not fear to transgress. More than this, he becomes complacent ("flatters himself") in devising evil things as a sign of superior cleverness, and glories in hating rather than in loving. He is a fearful example of the total inversion of the moral order in all his thoughts. As a consequence, we have:
2. The utter degeneracy of his conduct. (Psalms 36:3, Psalms 36:4.) His words are the image of his thoughts—mischief and deceit. He has left off, turned from, every wise and good gay of living, as a thing gone out of his esteem, forming no part of his purpose in life. fie meditates only mischief on his bed, where other men remember the evil of the day, and repent; but he sinks to sleep or awakes from it in forming evil designs, setting himself into the direction of no good way, nor abhorring any evil.
II. THE SUPREME BLESSEDNESS OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. (Psalms 36:5-10.)
1. God's goodness makes him infinitely worthy of our trust. (Psalms 36:5-7.) His mercy. faithfulness, righteousness, judgments, preserving providence, are all infinite and perfect, and those who trust in him live in the holiest, safest shelter—under the shadow of his wings overspreading the "mercy-seat."
2. God will abundantly satisfy all their greatest needs. (Psalms 36:8.) They shall partake of the Divine satisfaction and joy—eat of the fatness of his house, and drink of the river of his pleasures. Because he is the Fountain of all life and the Substance of all light, and they who dwell with him shall draw his life into themselves, and see all things in the light of his presence.
3. They became confident of the downfall of those who are unrighteously opposed to them. (Psalms 36:11, Psalms 36:12.) "There!"—pointing as if to the scene of the ruin of his foes and the foes of God. Those who enjoy fellowship with God and Christ are assured that they too will at length conquer their spiritual foes, and enter fully into the kingdom that awaits them.—S.
Psalms 35
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Psalms 37
Psalms 36 - psalms-36 - worlddic.com