Chú giải Kinh Thánh

It is uncertain when, and upon what occasion, David penned this psalm, probably when he was struck at either by Saul or by Absalom; for in it he complains of the malice of his enemies against him, but triumphs in the goodness of God to him. We are here led to consider, and it will do us good to consider seriously, I. The sinfulness of sin, and how mischievous it is, Ps 36:1-4. II. The goodness of God, and how gracious he is, 1. To all his creatures in general, Ps 36:5,6. 2. To his own people in a special manner, Ps 36:7-9. By this the psalmist is encouraged to pray for all the saints (Ps 36:10), for himself in particular and his own preservation (Ps 36:11), and to triumph in the certain fall of his enemies, Ps 36:12. If, in singing this psalm, our hearts be duly affected with the hatred of sin and satisfaction in God's lovingkindness, we sing it with grace and understanding.

The "title" to this psalm is, "To the chief Musician, A "Psalm" of David the servant of the Lord." On the meaning of the phrase "To the chief Musician." see the notes at the title to Psalm 4:1-8. The words "A Psalm" are supplied by the translators. The original is simply "of," or "by David," as in Psalm 11:1-7; Psalm 14:1-7; Psalm 25; Psalm 26:1-12; and others, without indicating whether it is a "psalm" or a "prayer." In many instances the "character" of the psalm is indicated try the title, as in Psalm 3:1-8; Psalm 4:1-8; Psalm 5:1-12; Psalm 6:1-10; and others, "A Psalm of David;" in Psalm 7, "Shiggaion of David;" Psalm 16:1-11, "Michtam of David;" Psalm 17:1-15, "A "Prayer" of David," etc. etc. The meaning of the title here is simply that this was "composed" by David, without indicating anything in regard to the "contents" or "character" of the psalm. The addition in the title, "The servant of the Lord," occurs also in the title to Psalm 18. See the notes at that title. This seems to have been added here, as in Psalm 18, for some reason which rendered it proper to remark that the psalm was composed by one who was a "servant" or a friend of Yahweh, and who was setting forth something that was especially connected with that service, or was suggested by it - as expressing either the feelings of one who served God; or as showing the result of serving God. In Psalm 18 the latter seems to have been the prominent idea; in the psalm before us the former seems to be the main thought; "and the psalm is properly an expression of the feelings of one who is truly engaged in the service of God." As such, its instructions are valuable at all thees, and in all ages.

The occasion on which the psalm was composed is not known. There is nothing in the title to indicate this, or in the psalm itself, and conjecture is vain. Amyraldus supposed that it had reference to the thee of Saul, and especially to the thee when he seemed to be friendly to David, but when he secretly harbored malice in his heart, and sought to destroy him, and to the fact that David saw his real designs through all the professions of his friendship and confidence. See Rosenmuller's Introduction to the Psalms. It is certainly possible that this may have been the occasion on which the psalm was composed; but there are no circumstances in the psalm which make this absolutely certain, and there were many occasions in the life of David when the description in one part of the psalm Psa 36:1-4 would have been applicable to the character and designs of his enemies, as the description in the remainder of the psalm would have been applicable to his own.

The psalm consists of three parts:

I. A description of the character of the wicked, referring doubtless to some persons who were, or who had been, plotting the ruin of the author of the psalm; a general description of human depravity, drawn from the character of those whom the psalmist had particularly in his eye, Psalm 36:1-4.

II. A description of the mercy of God, and an expression of strong confidence in that mercy; particularly, a description of the character of a merciful God as a refuge in thees when depravity prevails, and in thees of darkness; an expression of strong confidence that light will ultimately come forth from him, and that they will find security who put their trust under the shadow of his wings, Psalm 36:5-9.

III. A prayer of the psalmist that he might experience the mercy of God in this case, and an expression of firm conviction that God would interpose in his behalf, Psalm 36:10-12. He is so confident of this - so certain that it would occur - that he speaks of it as if it were already done.

The miserable state of the wicked, Psalm 36:1-4. The excellence of God's mercy in itself, and to his followers, Psalm 36:5-9. He prays for the upright, Psalm 36:10; for himself that he may be saved from pride and violence, Psalm 36:11; and shows the end of the workers of iniquity, Psalm 36:12.

The title in the Hebrew is, To the conqueror to the servant of Jehovah, to David. The Syriac and Arabic suppose it to have been composed on occasion of Saul's persecution of David. Calmet supposes, on good grounds, that it was written during the Babylonish captivity. It is one of the finest Psalms in the whole collection.

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 36

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. This title, which the psalmist takes to himself, regards him not only as a creature, every man being the servant of the Lord as such, of right, though not in fact; but as a king, he being a minister of God for good to good men, and for evil to evil men; and also may respect him as a renewed man; and it is here used in opposition to and distinction from the wicked, who are the servants of sin and Satan, of whom he speaks in this psalm. The Syriac and Arabic versions in their titles suggest that this psalm was written when David was persecuted by Saul, and which is the sense of some interpreters; but R. Obadiah thinks Ahithophel is designed by the wicked man in it; and so it was penned on account of Absalom's rebellion.

XXXVI.

This psalm consists of three distinctly defined stanzas of nearly equal length. The first portrays the wicked man who has reached the lowest grade of impiety. The second exalts the goodness and justice of God. The third, which is, in a sort, a practical application of the others, expresses, under the form of a prayer, the right choice to make between the two tendencies, the pious and the impious. The sudden transition at the end of the first stanza has led some critics to pronounce the psalm composite. But what else can the heart, which would not sink beneath the oppressive sense of the accumulated sin and misery of earth, do, but turn suddenly and confidently to the thought of an infinite and abiding goodness and truth. The only resource of faith that would not fail is to appeal from earth to heaven, and see, high over all the fickleness and falsehood of men, the faithfulness of God: strong above all the insolence and tyranny of the wicked His eternal justice: large, deep, and sure, when all other supports seem to fail, His vast and unchanging love.

Those who understand by “God’s house,” in Psalm 36:8, the Temple, reject the Davidic authorship. But understood of the world generally, or, better, of the heavenly abode of the Divine, it does not serve as an indication of date, and there is nothing else in the poem to decide when it was written. The parallelism is varied.

Title.—For “servant of the Lord,” as applied to David, see Psalms 18 (title).

This Psalm presents two contrasted pictures: one of the godless principles and conduct of the man who has made deliberate choice of evil; the other of the universal and inexhaustible lovingkindness of God. From the prevailing wickedness around him (to which he is in danger of falling a victim, Psalm 36:11), the Psalmist turns for relief and comfort to contemplate the goodness of God. The wicked man may deny God’s Providence and defy His judgements, but to the eye of faith His goodness is supreme, and His judicial righteousness will ultimately be triumphant. The contemplation of that goodness brings the folly of deserting God into strong relief, and suggests the greatness of the loss which man incurs by his apostasy.

The abruptness of the transition from Psalm 36:1-4 to Psalm 36:5 ff. has suggested the hypothesis that we have here parts of two Psalms, which have been combined by an editor. But the hypothesis is unnecessary. The two parts are related like the two members of an antithetic proverb (e.g. Proverbs 14:22); and the reader is left to interpret the connexion for himself. Moreover the connexion of thought and language in Psalm 36:11-12 with Psalm 36:1-4 is decidedly in favour of the unity of the Psalm.

The structure of the Psalm is clear and simple.

i. The principle of godlessness (Psalm 36:1-2), and the practical results to which it leads (Psalm 36:3-4).

ii. The gloriousness of God’s attributes (Psalm 36:5-6), and His beneficence to man (Psalm 36:7-9).

iii. Prayer for blessing (Psalm 36:10), and protection (Psalm 36:11); and confident anticipation of the overthrow of the wicked (Psalm 36:12).

For the title servant of the Lord in the inscription comp. the inscription of Psalms 18; and Psalm 35:27.

Ps 36:1-12.

On servant of the Lord, see on

Ps 18:1,

title. The wickedness of man contrasted with the excellency of God's perfections and dispensations; and the benefit of the latter sought, and the evils of the former deprecated.

1. The general sense of this difficult verse is, "that the wicked have no fear of God." The first clause may be rendered, "Saith transgression in my heart, in respect to the wicked, there is no fear," &c., that is, such is my reflection on men's transgressions.

The transgression of the wicked - There is considerable difficulty in respect to the grammatical construction of the Hebrew in this verse, though the general sense is plain. The main idea undoubtedly is, that the fair explanation of the conduct of the wicked, or the fair inference to be derived from that conduct was, that they had no fear of God before them; that they did in no proper way regard or fear God. The psalmist introduces himself as looking at the conduct or the acts of the wicked, and he says that their conduct can be explained, in his judgment, or "in his heart," in no other way than on this supposition. The word "transgression" here refers to some open and public act. What the particular act was the psalmist does not state, though probably it had reference to something which had been done to himself. What is here said, however, with particular reference to his enemies, may be regarded as a general truth in regard to the wicked, to wit, that their conduct is such that the fair interpretation of what they do is, that there is no "fear of God before their eyes," or that they have no regard for his will.

Saith - This word - נאם ne'ûm - is a participle from a verb, נאם nâ'am, meaning to mutter; to murmur; to speak in a low voice; and is employed especially with reference to the divine voice in which the oracles of God were revealed to the prophets. Compare 1 Kings 19:12. It is found most commonly in connection with the word "Lord" or "Yahweh," expressed by the phrase "Saith the Lord," as if the oracle were the voice of Yahweh. Genesis 22:16; Numbers 14:28; Isaiah 1:24; Isaiah 3:15, "et saepe." It is correctly rendered here "saith;" or, the "saying" of the transgression of the wicked is, etc. That is, this is what their conduct "says;" or, this is the fair interpretation of their conduct.

Within my heart - Hebrew: "in the midst of my heart." Evidently this means in my judgment; in my apprehension; or, as we should say, "So it seems or appears to me." My heart, or my judgment, puts this construction on their conduct, and can put no other on it.

That there is "no fear of God - No reverence for God; no regard for his will. The sinner acts without any restraint derived from the law or the will of God.

Before his eyes - He does not see or apprehend God; he acts as if there were no God. This is the fair interpretation to be put upon the conduct of the wicked "everywhere" - that they have no regard for God or his law.