Psalm 36 | The Lord’s Steadfast Love

Preacher: Joel Fair
Scripture: Psalm 36

1. The Character of the Wicked - VS 1-4
2. God’s Character - VS 5-9
3. The Sinner’s Plea - VS 10-12

Psalm 1:1–2 (ESV)
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Rolf A. Jacobson, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament
Indeed, the sense of the entire first stanza is quite clear: it is a description of the wicked, who lack the proper interior quality of having the fear of God. This basic lack, in turn, leads the wicked one to manifest behaviors that are evil. The most important characteristic of the wicked one is that rather than fearing the Lord, this one is completely self-governed: before whose eyes there is no dread of God; who is self-deceptive, in whose eyes is the belief that personal sin cannot be found out and hated (vv. 1b–2). The notion here is that because the wicked person does not fear God, she deceives herself into thinking her sin will not be found out.

Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Jacobson, NICOT
Poetically, this stanza of praise is a masterpiece. In Hebrew, the stanza both begins and ends with a vocative use of the name Yahweh. The Lord literally—and figuratively—surrounds the psalmist’s praise.

Joel 3:18 (ESV)
And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the LORD and water the Valley of Shittim.

Psalm 17:15 (ESV)
As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

C. S. Lewis
I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else.

Ephesians 3:14–19 (ESV)
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Psalm 89:5–8 (ESV)
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you?