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Commentary on Psalms 36 verses 5–12
David, having looked round with grief upon the wickedness of the wicked, here looks up with comfort upon the goodness of God, a subject as delightful as the former was distasteful and very proper to be set in the balance against it. Observe,
I. His meditations upon the grace of God. He sees the world polluted, himself endangered, and God dishonoured, by the transgressions of the wicked; but, of a sudden, he turns his eye, and heart, and speech, to God "However it be, yet thou art good." He here acknowledges,
1.The transcendent perfections of the divine nature. Among men we have often reason to complain, There is no truth nor mercy, (Hos 4:1), no judgment nor justice, Isa 5:7. But all these may be found in God without the least alloy. Whatever is missing, or amiss, in the world, we are sure there is nothing missing, nothing amiss, in him that governs it. (1.) He is a God of inexhaustible goodness: Thy mercy, O Lord! is in the heavens. If men shut up the bowels of their compassion, yet with God, at the throne of his grace, we shall find mercy. When men are devising mischief against us God's thoughts concerning us, if we cleave closely to him, are thoughts of good. On earth we meet with little content and a great deal of disquiet and disappointment; but in the heavens, where the mercy of God reigns in perfection and to eternity, there is all satisfaction; there therefore, if we would be easy, let us have our conversation, and there let us long to be. How bad soever the world is, let us never think the worse of God nor of his government; but, from the abundance of wickedness that is among men, let us take occasion, instead of reflecting upon God's purity, as if he countenanced sin, to admire his patience, that he bears so much with those that so impudently provoke him, nay, and causes his sun to shine and his rain to fall upon them. If God's mercy were not in the heavens (that is, infinitely above the mercies of any creature), he would, long ere this, have drowned the world again. See Isa 55:8, Isa 55:9; Hos 11:9. (2.) He is a God of inviolable truth: Thy faithfulness reaches unto the clouds. Though God suffers wicked people to do a great deal of mischief, yet he is and will be faithful to his threatenings against sin, and there will come a day when he will reckon with them; he is faithful also to his covenant with his people, which cannot be broken, nor one jot or tittle of the promises of it defeated by all the malice of earth and hell. This is matter of great comfort to all good people, that, though men are false, God is faithful; men speak vanity, but the words of the Lord are pure words. God's faithfulness reaches so high that it does not change with the weather, as men's does, for it reaches to the skies (so it should be read, as some think), above the clouds, and all the changes of the lower region. (3.) He is a God of incontestable justice and equity: Thy righteousness is like the great mountains, so immovable and inflexible itself and so conspicuous and evident to all the world; for no truth is more certain nor more plain than this, That the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and that he never did, nor ever will do, any wrong to any of his creatures. Even when clouds and darkness are round about him, yet judgment and justice are the habitation of his throne, Psa 97:2. (4.) He is a God of unsearchable wisdom and design: "Thy judgments are a great deep, not to be fathomed with the line and plummet of any finite understanding." As his power is sovereign, which he owes not any account of to us, so his method is singular and mysterious, which cannot be accounted for by us: His way is in the sea and his path in the great waters. We know that he does all wisely and well; but what he does we know not now; it will be time enough to know hereafter.
2.The extensive care and beneficence of the divine Providence: "Thou preservest man and beast, not only protectest them from mischief, but suppliest them with that which is needful for the support of life." The beasts, though not capable of knowing and praising God, are yet graciously provided for; their eyes wait on him, and he gives them their meat in due season. Let us not wonder that God gives food to bad men, for he feeds the brute-creatures; and let us not fear but that he will provide well for good men; he that feeds the young lions will not starve his own children.
3.The peculiar favour of God to the saints. Observe,
(1.)Their character, Psa 36:7. They are such as are allured by the excellency of God's loving-kindness to put their trust under the shadow of his wings. [1.] God's loving-kindness is precious to them. They relish it; they taste a transcendent sweetness in it; they admire God's beauty and benignity above any thing in this world, nothing so amiable, so desirable. Those know not God that do not admire his loving-kindness; and those know not themselves that do not earnestly covet it. [2.] They therefore repose an entire confidence in him. They have recourse to him, put themselves under his protection, and then think themselves safe and find themselves easy, as the chickens under the wings of the hen, Mat 23:37. It was the character of proselytes that they came to trust under the wings of the God of Israel (Rut 2:12); and what more proper to gather proselytes than the excellency of his loving-kindness? What more powerful to engage our complacency to him and on him? Those that are thus drawn by love will cleave to him.
(2.)Their privilege. Happy, thrice happy, the people whose God is the Lord, for in him they have, or may have, or shall have, a complete happiness. [1.] Their desires shall be answered, (Psa 36:8): They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, their wants supplied; their cravings gratified, and their capacities filled. In God all-sufficient they shall have enough, all that which an enlightened enlarged soul can desire or receive. The gains of the world and the delights of sense will surfeit, but never satisfy, Isa 55:2. But the communications of divine favour and grace will satisfy, but never surfeit. A gracious soul, though still desiring more of God, never desires more than God. The gifts of Providence so far satisfy them that they are content with such things as they have. I have all, and abound, Phi 4:18. The benefit of holy ordinances is the fatness of God's house, sweet to a sanctified soul and strengthening to the spiritual and divine life. With this they are abundantly satisfied; they desire nothing more in this world than to live a life of communion with God and to have the comfort of the promises. But the full, the abundant satisfaction is reserved for the future state, the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Every vessel will be full there. [2.] Their joys shall be constant: Thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. First, There are pleasures that are truly divine. "They are thy pleasures, not only which come from thee as the giver of them, but which terminate in thee as the matter and centre of them." Being purely spiritual, they are of the same nature with those of the glorious inhabitants of the upper world, and bear some analogy even to the delights of the Eternal Mind. Secondly, There is a river of these pleasures, always full, always fresh, always flowing. There is enough for all, enough for each; see Psa 46:4. The pleasures of sense are putrid puddle-water; those of faith are pure and pleasant, clear as crystal, Rev 22:1. Thirdly, God has not only provided this river of pleasures for his people, but he makes them to drink of it, works in them a gracious appetite to these pleasures, and by his Spirit fills their souls with joy and peace in believing. In heaven they shall be for ever drinking of those pleasures that are at God's right hand, satiated with a fulness of joy, Psa 16:11. [3.] Life and light shall be their everlasting bliss and portion, Psa 36:9. Having God himself for their felicity, First, In him they have a fountain of life, from which those rivers of pleasure flow, Psa 36:8. The God of nature is the fountain of natural life. In him we live, and move, and have our being. The God of grace is the fountain of spiritual life. All the strength and comfort of a sanctified soul, all its gracious principles, powers, and performances, are from God. He is the spring and author of all its sensations of divine things, and all its motions towards them: he quickens whom he will; and whosoever will may come, and take from him of the waters of life freely. He is the fountain of eternal life. The happiness of glorified saints consists in the vision and fruition of him, and in the immediate communications of his love, without interruption or fear of cessation. Secondly, In him they have light in perfection, wisdom, knowledge, and joy, all included in this light: In thy light we shall see light, that is, 1. "In the knowledge of thee in grace, and the vision of thee in glory, we shall have that which will abundantly suit and satisfy our understandings." That divine light which shines in the scripture, and especially in the face of Christ, the light of the world, has all truth in it. When we come to see God face to face, within the veil, we shall see light in perfection, we shall know enough then, Co1 13:12; Jo1 3:2. 2. "In communion with thee now; by the communications of thy grace to us and the return of our devout affections to thee, and in the fruition of thee shortly in heaven, we shall have a complete felicity and satisfaction. In thy favour we have all the good we can desire." This is a dark world; we see little comfort in it; but in the heavenly light there is true light, and no false light, light that is lasting and never wastes. In this world we see God, and enjoy him by creatures and means; but in heaven God himself shall be with us (Rev 21:3) and we shall see and enjoy him immediately.
II. We have here David's prayers, intercessions, and holy triumphs, grounded upon these meditations.
1.He intercedes for all saints, begging that they may always experience the benefit and comfort of God's favour and grace, Psa 36:10. (1.) The persons he prays for are those that know God, that are acquainted with him, acknowledge him, and avouch him for theirs - the upright in heart, that are sincere in their profession of religion, and faithful both to God and man. Those that are not upright with God do not know him as they should. (2.) The blessing he begs for them is God's loving-kindness (that is, the tokens of his favour towards them) and his righteousness (that is, the workings of his grace in them); or his loving-kindness and righteousness are his goodness according to promise; they are mercy and truth. (3.) The manner in which he desires this blessing may be conveyed: O continue it, draw it out, as the mother draws out her breasts to the child, and then the child draws out the milk from the breasts. Let it be drawn out to a length equal to the line of eternity itself. The happiness of the saints in heaven will be in perfection, and yet in continual progression (as some thing); for the fountain there will be always full and the streams always flowing. In these is continuance, Isa 64:5.
2.He prays for himself, that he might be preserved in his integrity and comfort (Psa 36:11): "Let not the foot of pride come against me, to trip up my heels, or trample upon me; and let not the hand of the wicked, which is stretched out against me, prevail to remove me, either from my purity and integrity, by any temptation, or from my peace and comfort, by any trouble." Let not those who fight against God triumph over those who desire to cleave to him. Those that have experienced the pleasure of communion with God cannot but desire that nothing may ever remove them from him.
3.He rejoices in hope of the downfall of all his enemies in due time (Psa 36:12): "There, where they thought to gain the point against me, they have themselves fallen, been taken in that snare which they laid for me." There, in the other world (so some), where the saints stand in the judgment, and have a place in God's house, the workers of iniquity are cast in the judgment, are cast down into hell, into the bottomless pit, out of which they shall assuredly never be able to rise from under the insupportable weight of God's wrath and curse. It is true we are not to rejoice when any particular enemy of ours falls; but the final overthrow of all the workers of iniquity will be the everlasting triumph of glorified saints.
(Verses 9, 10.) Therefore, He fittingly substitutes: 'For with you is the fountain of life: and in your light we shall see light.' Extend your mercy to those who know you, and your righteousness to those who are upright in heart. Indeed, after the remembrance of heavenly benefits, gratitude is rightly ascribed to our Lord Jesus Christ, who, as the life-giving fountain of eternity, descended to earth to water the dryness of our hearts. The same is the brightness of the glory of God the Father, and the image of his substance; and therefore in his true light, which enlightens every man that comes into this world, we shall see, he says, the Father; because God is light. It is also rightly said: In your light we shall see light; according to that: He who sees me, sees also my Father (John 14:9). Therefore, with you, O Source of life, we shall see the Father present. For just as you, being the Word of God, were with the Father in the beginning: so the Father is always with you, who are in him. For indeed in Him is present that which is. But the coming of the Lord and Savior was prophesied, who, when He was about to come into the world, said: 'I and the Father are one' (John 10:30); that is, we are one light, just as we are one name. Through the unity of light and name, we are both one; indeed, the Trinity is one in the unity of substance, but with the distinction of each person. The Trinity signifies the distinction of persons, the unity signifies the power. It can also be said of the Father: 'For with you is the fountain of life,' that is, in you from whom life proceeded, there was the Word, and He always was, because He was with you. All things were made through him, and in him was life, and he has shown himself to us, so that the hearts of men may be illuminated with the knowledge of your majesty.
Therefore, extend your mercy to those who know you. The prerogative is claimed so that those who have the merit of your knowledge may deserve mercy. Finally, we see the pursuit of knowledge supported even among the lowest of people, as the Lord says: I will remember Rahab and Babylon among those who know me (Psalm 86:4); that is, I will remember that prostitute Rahab and that state of confusion among those who know me, or among themselves; because that prostitute acknowledged me, whom the people did not acknowledge. Among those, therefore, who wrote to me, Rahab will be remembered, so that she may obtain a worthy reward of faith. Hence, in the Gospel we hear this saying: 'The prostitutes and the tax collectors will precede you into the kingdom of heaven' (Matt. 21:31). But because we are weak in carrying out [good works], although devoted to believing [in God], may you, extend your mercy to those who believe in you, so that our deeds may correspond to both devotion and faith; and may the weakness of this body not abandon the zeal of our mind, but rather may we glory in the very temptations and weaknesses in which the Apostle gloried, saying: 'I will most gladly glory in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me' (1 Cor. 12:9).
They were formed by you so as to be able, if they wished, both to know you and to hope in you, and to enjoy the good things stemming from this.
"Show forth Your Mercy unto them that know You; Your Righteousness to them that are of a right heart" [Psalm 36:10]. As I have said, Those are of a right heart who follow in this life the Will of God. The will of God is sometimes that you should be whole, sometimes that you should be sick. If when you are whole God's Will be sweet, and when you are sick God's Will be bitter; you are not of a right heart. Wherefore? Because you will not make right your will according to God's Will, but wilt bend God's Will to yours. That is right, but you are crooked: your will must be made right to That, not That made crooked to you; and you will have a right heart. It is well with you in this world; be God blessed, who comforts you: it goes hardly with you in this world; be God blessed, because He chastens and proves you; and so will you be of a right heart, saying, "I will bless the Lord at all times: His Praise shall be ever in my mouth."
He extends his mercy, not because they know him but in order that they may know him: he extends his righteousness whereby he justifies the ungodly, not because they are upright in heart but that they may become upright in heart. This consideration does not lead astray into pride—the fault that arises from trust in self and making the self the spring of its own life. To go that way is to draw back from the fountain of life, whose draught alone gives the righteousness that is good life, and from that changeless light by whose participation the reasonable soul is as it were set burning so as to be itself a light made and created.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 36:10 is a fervent prayer, a petition for the perpetual manifestation of God's covenantal love and perfect justice towards those who are in a genuine, transformative relationship with Him. This verse serves as a profound climax to a section that extols the immeasurable greatness and faithfulness of God's character (verses 5-9), standing in stark contrast to the pervasive wickedness and deceit of humanity described in the psalm's opening verses (1-4). It beautifully transitions from the contemplation of divine attributes to a heartfelt plea for their continued outpouring upon the righteous.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 36:10 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. Parallelism is prominently featured, specifically Synonymous Parallelism, where the second clause ("and thy righteousness to the upright in heart") echoes and reinforces the meaning of the first ("O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee"). "Lovingkindness" is paralleled with "righteousness," and "them that know thee" with "the upright in heart," creating a balanced and emphatic statement that deepens the petition. This parallelism highlights the interconnectedness of God's attributes and the corresponding qualities of His people. The verse also utilizes Personification indirectly, as God's "lovingkindness" and "righteousness" are treated as active forces that God can "continue" or "extend," almost as if they are tangible gifts. Furthermore, the entire verse functions as a Supplication or Petition, a direct address to God, expressing a heartfelt request. This direct address underscores the psalmist's intimate relationship with the divine and his confidence in God's willingness to respond to the prayers of His faithful. Finally, the verse provides a powerful Contrast with the earlier depiction of the wicked, implicitly defining the characteristics of those who are truly God's people and thus worthy recipients of His ongoing favor.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 36:10 stands as a testament to the unchanging character of God and the vital importance of a genuine relationship with Him. It asserts that God's chêçêd (steadfast love) and tsᵉdâqâh (righteousness/justice) are not arbitrary or transient, but are foundational to His very being and are continually available to those who align themselves with Him. The petition to "continue" these attributes underscores a theological truth: God's faithfulness is eternal, and His people can confidently appeal to His nature for ongoing provision, protection, and guidance. This verse also highlights the reciprocal nature of the covenant: God's unwavering commitment is extended to those who "know" Him experientially and whose hearts are "upright," emphasizing that true relationship with God involves both intimate knowledge and moral integrity. It is a powerful reminder that while God's general goodness extends to all creation, His specific covenant blessings are reserved for those who walk in His ways.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 36:10 invites believers to a profound self-examination and a renewed commitment to an authentic walk with God. It challenges us to move beyond mere intellectual assent to God's existence and instead cultivate a deep, experiential "knowing" of Him, one that transforms our inner being and aligns our hearts with His will. This "knowing" is nurtured through consistent prayer, diligent study of His Word, and active obedience to His commands. The promise that God's lovingkindness and righteousness will "continue" for those who truly know Him and are upright in heart offers immense encouragement and assurance. In a world often marked by instability and injustice, this verse reminds us that God's character is our unwavering anchor. It calls us to live with integrity, sincerity, and faithfulness, trusting that as we strive to reflect His character, His steadfast love and perfect justice will continually encompass and sustain us, guiding our paths and vindicating our lives. It is a daily invitation to draw near to the One whose nature is to bless and uphold His devoted children.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the word "continue" in this verse?
Answer: The word "continue" (Hebrew: māshaḵ, H4900) is crucial because it implies a drawing out, extending, or prolonging. It's a petition for God's already demonstrated attributes of lovingkindness (chêçêd) and righteousness (tsᵉdâqâh) to be perpetually manifest and applied to His faithful people. It speaks to the psalmist's confidence in God's unchanging nature and His desire for God's ongoing, active presence and blessing in the lives of those who are in a right relationship with Him. It's a prayer for the enduring operation of God's covenantal faithfulness.
How does "knowing God" in this verse differ from simply believing in God?
Answer: In biblical thought, "knowing God" (yâdaʻ, H3045) is far more than intellectual assent or mere belief. It signifies an intimate, personal, and transformative relationship, akin to the knowledge between a husband and wife, as seen in Genesis 4:1. It involves experiential acquaintance, deep trust, and a life lived in active obedience and communion with Him. It implies a covenantal relationship where one's life is shaped by God's character and will. Simply believing in God might acknowledge His existence, but "knowing" Him means walking with Him, experiencing His presence, and being changed by His truth, as seen in the call to "know the Lord" in Hosea 6:3.
What does "upright in heart" imply, and why is it important?
Answer: "Upright in heart" (Hebrew: yâshâr lêb, H3477, H3820) describes those whose inner being, their core character and motives, are sincere, honest, and morally pure before God. It implies integrity, authenticity, and a lack of duplicity, contrasting sharply with the deceitful and wicked described in the opening verses of Psalms 36. This uprightness is important because it is the internal disposition that aligns with God's character and enables one to truly "know" Him and receive His continued lovingkindness and righteousness. It suggests that God's covenant blessings are not indiscriminately given but are poured out on those who genuinely seek to live in accordance with His righteous standards, as Jesus Himself taught in Matthew 5:8.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 36:10 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the very embodiment of God's "lovingkindness" (chêçêd) and "righteousness" (tsᵉdâqâh). God's steadfast love, promised throughout the Old Testament, is perfectly revealed in Christ's incarnation, His life of selfless service, His atoning death on the cross, and His resurrection, as proclaimed in John 3:16. Jesus is the faithful Son who perfectly "knows" the Father, having an eternal, intimate relationship with Him, as He declares in John 10:15. Furthermore, Jesus is the only one who is truly "upright in heart," without sin or blemish, perfectly fulfilling God's righteous standard, as testified in Hebrews 4:15. Through His perfect life and sacrificial death, Christ became the means by which God's righteousness is imputed to us, justifying those who believe, as explained in Romans 3:21-26. Thus, the prayer for God to "continue" His lovingkindness and righteousness is answered definitively in the ongoing work of Christ and the Holy Spirit, who enable us to "know" God truly and empower us to live with "upright hearts," as we are conformed to the image of the One who perfectly embodies both attributes, as we read in 2 Corinthians 3:18.