HEADING. ‘For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of YHWH.' This Psalm might be called ‘the Ode to the Covenant Love of YHWH'. For after its initial grim beginning it expands into a threefold expression of YHWH's covenant love as it is revealed towards His own. In it the Psalmist cont... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE WICKED SPEAKS TO THE PSALMIST'S HEART ALERTING HIM TO THE SINFULNESS OF MAN (PSALMS 36:1). Psalms 36:1 ‘The oracle of the transgression of the wicked within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, That his iniquity wil... [ Continue Reading ]
IN CONTRAST TO WHAT TRANSGRESSION OFFERS YHWH OFFERS COMPASSION, F FAITHFULNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUSTICE, AND THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE (PSALMS 36:5). Psalms 36:5 ‘Your lovingkindness, O YHWH, is in the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of Go... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT THE COVENANT LOVE OF GOD OFFERS TO ALL WHO RESPOND TO HIM (PSALMS 36:7). We now turn from what God is to what He offers. Note the change from YHWH to God, even though the offering is still of His covenant love. His offer is universal, for it is to all ‘the children of men' (compare Ruth 2:12).... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PSALMIST PRAYS THAT NOTHING MIGHT BE ALLOWED TO DRIVE HIM AWAY FROM YHWH'S COVENANT LOVE (PSALMS 36:10). Having emphasised the wonderful attributes of YHWH (5-7), and having considered the munificent benefits that He abundantly gives to His own (8-9), the Psalmist now prays that nothing might d... [ Continue Reading ]