THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 3, 2014 - Day 36 - Psalm 36

The sinful man versus the saved man; Psalm 36 is a contrast of the two.

First David looks at the sinful man.

Psalm 36:1-4

“Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.
For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.”

As verse 1 declares, the man of sin has rebellion against God rooted deep in his heart. And the reason that it resides there is because sinful man has no fear of God. Verse 2 says he flatters himself. He puts himself above the need for God and for Jesus because he thinks in his arrogant attitude his moral perverseness cannot be seen. Verse 3 tells us he speaks trouble and lies, but the word used in this psalm actually means speaks as if he has authority. Not only does he do this but at night he plots out his evil and builds his foundation on iniquity.

After presenting a look at the sinful man David then contrasts him with the saved man. He bases this on God’s loving-kindness which stands upon 3 pillars. The 3 pillars of God’s loving-kindness are the righteousness, resources, and responsibilities of God’s throne.

Psalm 36:5-7
“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. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”

Nothing matches God’s love. Nothing. It extends to the heavens. It is always faithful, unlike man’s. It cannot be moved. David declares it like a mountain which man cannot pick and move even with all his machinery. It cannot be measured. It is deeper than the oceans and higher than the clouds. It is precious and it is the only true refuge in this life.

Psalm 36:8-9
“They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.”

Notice the second pillar of God’s loving-kindness; its resources. Those who live under the wings of God’s love through Jesus have all they will ever need. We feast on the abundance of His house and we drink from the river of God’s delights. In Christ is the fountain of life and in Christ is the light upon we find our way out of the darkness.

David finishes with a prayer and in that prayer is seen the third pillar of God’s loving-kindness; the responsibilities of his throne.

Psalm 36:10-12
“Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise.”

The first responsibility of God’s throne is to justify the saints. David prays that God will make His love and His righteousness permanent to those who trust in Christ. This is a picture of justification as God has imputed His righteousness to us through the blood of Christ. Secondly David prays for the practical application of His love which is to sanctify us. Let us not have the “foot of arrogance come upon [us], nor the hand of the wicked drive [us] away.”

The second responsibility of the throne of God is to judge the sinner. Verse 12 reminds us that judgment will come and when it does the evildoers will lie fallen; they will be thrust down, unable to rise.

Praise God we have a God whose loving-kindness is true and perfect. In that we can take our rest.