Psalm 36

SLIDE 1 Turn to Psalm 36.

In the 1950s many believed that crime was caused by the environment. People only do wrong because of how they are raised. Sharing that conventional wisdom, psychologist Stanton Samenow and psychiatrist Samuel Yochelson set out to prove it. They began a 17-year study involving thousands of hours of clinical testing of 250 inmates in the District of Columbia. To their astonishment, they discovered that the cause of crime cannot be traced to environment, poverty, or oppression. They found instead that crime is the result of individuals making, as they put it, wrong moral choices. (Who knew?) In their 1977 work “The Criminal Personality”, they concluded that the answer to crime is a, “Conversion of the wrong-doer to a more responsible lifestyle.”

In 1987, Harvard professors James Wilson and Richard Herrnstein came to similar conclusions in their book “Crime and Human Nature”. They determined that the cause of crime is a lack of proper moral training among young people during the morally formative years, particularly ages one to six.

People have always tried to explain away bad and sinful behavior. The world tries to elevate sinful people and pretend we are better than we are while also seeking to lower the holy God to our level.

In Psalm 36, David puts both people and God in their proper places. In this psalm David talks about the sinfulness of people while magnifying the goodness and righteousness of God.

The superscript for the psalm reads:

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.

So, the psalm was written by David. It’s interesting that David is described as being a servant of God. While this description occurs several times in scripture, it is only found twice in Psalms, here and in a psalm we’ve already looked at, Psalm 18.

SLIDE 2 David begins by describing human darkness.

David writes:

1 I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Psalm 36:1)

There are two opinions as to how this first verse should be translated. The question concerns who it is that is speaking. The NIV believes it is David. As a result, they translate it as: SLIDE 3

I have a message from God in my heart. . . . (Psalm 36:1, NIV)

Others believe it is sin that’s talking.

Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within his heart. . . . (Psalm 36:1, NASB)

The question is whether God tells David what people think or if sin is speaking to people. Which translation is correct? The answer is I don’t know. Both are true though. God tells us in his word the truth about our sinfulness. It is also true that sin or the devil tempts us to sin. What’s most important in this verse though is the message: Don’t worry about serving God. There is no fear of God.

SLIDE 4 You might recognize this phrase. Paul quoted it in Romans 3:18 which we read Sunday morning. They have no fear or reverence for God.

He’ll make mention of their eyes again in the next verse, but in this verse David says there is no fear of God before their eyes. That’s what sin does; it makes us think we’re more important than we really are. They aren’t concerned about being accountable to God and dismiss the idea that God will judge them at the last day. Therefore, God is small in their eyes but they are big in their own eyes. In their eyes they are large and God is small. They are important but God is not. It has been said that those who make little of God make much of themselves.

2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. (Psalm 36:2)

They think so highly of themselves that they can’t even be convinced of their own sin. They are unable to recognize that what they are doing is wrong. Part of the problem is they use the wrong standard.

A little boy walked into the kitchen and told his mother that he discovered he was six feet tall. When she asked how he had determined this, he told her he had used his shoe to measure and that he was six shoes tall. With a loving smile she told him that his shoe was not a foot long. He insisted, “But, Mom, it’s got to be ’cause my foot’s in it!”

Many people believe they are pretty good because they are using a faulty standard and refuse to listen to the standard that God gives.

A man once boasted to a Christian friend of his, “You know, I’m not such a bad guy. There are many worse than I!” His friend replied, “You are measuring yourself by the wrong standard. You measure yourself by the harlots and drunkards you see on Skid Row and you feel quite satisfied by comparison. But go and measure yourself alongside Jesus Christ and see how you make out.”

We have to use the right standard. In our own eyes we might seem quite respectable, but how do we measure up in God’s eyes?

The result is they don’t hate their sin, but delight in doing what is wrong.

3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. 4 Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong. (Psalm 36:3-4)

What do you call someone who can speak three languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who can speak two languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who can only speak one language? American. I can only speak one language and sometimes I can’t even do that well.

Jesus commented that Satan only knows one language as well. In John 8, the Jewish leaders were complaining about Jesus and he responded: SLIDE 5

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. SLIDE 6 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. SLIDE 7 When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! (John 8:42-45)

Jesus calls him the devil the father of lies. Lies are his native language. Conversely, Jesus says that he speaks the truth. For these Jews it’s like he’s speaking a foreign language, they can’t understand him.

SLIDE 8 David says the language of those with no fear of God is wickedness and deceit. Also, because there is no fear of God, they are unable to act wisely or do good. Their character is shown in their words (which are wicked and deceitful), in their plans (in which they devise wickedness), in their habits (which set them on a way that isn’t good), and in their attractions (they do not abhor evil). David says they commit evil even on their beds which suggests that sin has become such a part of their lives that even in their leisure, when they’re aren’t consciously thinking about it, that they sin. That means that they don’t just accidentally stumble upon temptation and sin but plan it.

It’s because they have put themselves at the center of their universe and made themselves their own standard or right and wrong. The world tells us that if it feels good do it. “It can’t be wrong when it feels so right.”

In these first four verses, David is giving us a correct view of sin and the darkness of people. He’s then going to tell us about the light of God. I don’t do this but I’ve heard when you buy a diamond that they’ll put the diamond on a piece of black velvet. On that black fabric the diamonds shines even brighter. Having described the blackness of human sin, he contrasts it with the brightness of God’s light.

We need to see this contrast. We hear about the mercy and grace of God so often that it is easy lose sight of their importance. We sing about God’s amazing grace but do we really think it is amazing? John Newton, who wrote the hymn, certainly thought God’s grace is amazing. You may remember that Newton was the captain of a ship that transported slaves. He saw firsthand the depravity of man. He also recognized his own depravity in not only being willing to transport people to be sold into slavery but also the wickedness of his lifestyle. He knew that for God to save him was truly amazing. We sing the hymn he wrote, but do we truly see it? It’s only when we are able, like Newton, to see the depravity of our hearts that we truly see the goodness of God. We see the contrast and God’s goodness stands out even more.

SLIDE 9 Second, David describes God’s light.

5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. 7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36:5-7)

After describing the sinfulness of people you would think the next words about God would describe his judgment against such sin. But they aren’t. The next words describe his love.

A young father and his daughter were on a “get-away” cruise, because his wife and the girl’s mother had recently died. As they were huddled together on the deck of the ship, coping with the pain, the little girl asked her father, “Daddy, does God love us as much as Mommy did?” At first the father didn’t know what to say. But he knew he couldn’t side step the question. Pointing out across the water to the most distant horizon, he said, “Honey, God’s love reaches farther than you can see in that direction.” Turning around he said, “And God’s love reaches farther than you can see in that direction.” And then the father looked up at the sky and said, “And God’s love is higher than the sky, too.” Finally he pointed down at the ocean and said, “And it’s deeper than the ocean as well.” After hearing that, the girl responded: “Oh, just think, Daddy. We’re right here in the middle of it all.”

That’s what David was saying too when he wrote about God’s love reaching to the heavens. There is no end of God’s love for us. It knows no limits or boundaries.

I was at McDonald’s yesterday morning with some preachers. One of them told about being asked to visit a man on his death bed. They weren’t sure how much longer he would live. After sharing the gospel with him, this preacher asked the man if he believed it. He said he did but that he thought it was just too late for him and that he didn’t deserve God’s forgiveness. The preacher told him the parable about the vineyard owner who went out several times during the day to find workers. Each man received a day’s wages, even those who had only worked for an hour. When the preacher left the man said he’d think about it. A week later the man called saying he wanted to be baptized.

The truth is he didn’t deserve God’s forgiveness, but he didn’t deserve it ten or even forty years earlier either. We never deserve God’s love but he still loves us. God is faithful even when we are unfaithful.

David continues his description of God.

8 They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. (Psalm 36:8)

Those who deserve God’s judgment receive God’s blessings when they turn to him. David says they eat from the abundance of God’s own house.

I’m reminded of what David wrote about food in the twenty-third psalm. SLIDE 10

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (Psalm 23:5)

God not only doesn’t judge those who turn to him, but he allows them into his house and he feeds them.

Do you remember what David did after becoming king to the descendants of King Saul? Saul had chased David down to kill him for about a decade. After Saul died Judah made David king but the other tribes made the remaining son of Saul king. It wasn’t until after he was killed that David became king over all twelve tribes. In 2 Samuel 9 we read: SLIDE 11

David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1)

The only living descendant they could find was Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. When they brought Mephibosheth to David he was afraid. He figured David was about to kill him. SLIDE 12

“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” (2 Samuel 9:7)

SLIDE 13 David could have had Mephibosheth killed. I think most would have advised David to do it just for his own protection. He wouldn’t have to worry about Mephibosheth trying to lead a rebellion. But that wasn’t the reaction of David. David provided for him, inviting him into his house and feeding Mephibosheth from his own table. David showed more grace than Mephibosheth could ever have hoped for. If that’s what a sinful man can do, how much more can God do for us?

David compares God’s goodness and love to a river. David calls it the “river of delights” or pleasures. The Hebrew word for “delight” is closely related to the Hebrew word for Eden which means pleasure. God placed the man and woman in the Garden of Eden or the Garden of Pleasure. Now David refers to those who drink from God’s river of pleasure. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden because of their sin, but now through Jesus we once again have access to God’s presence and his blessings. It is good to know that God’s love does not come to us in a cup or even in a trickling stream, but in a river.

David finishes his description of God saying:

9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. (Psalm 36:9)

Like the river, the fountain speaks of abundance. There is no scarcity with God. Life is found in God.

The subjects of life and light are extremely important in the Gospel of John. John said of Jesus: SLIDE 14

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (John 1:4)

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well: SLIDE 15

Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:14)

Jesus told the crowds: SLIDE 16

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

And Jesus told the disciples: SLIDE 17

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

That’s just four verses from John. As I looked at the verses in John’s gospel where Jesus talked about the life he gives it was difficult to stop at just four. I didn’t pick out any that talk about Jesus and light. The point is that life and light are found only in God. If we want life, if we want life, we must come to God and we do so through Jesus.

David concludes the psalm with:

SLIDE 18 A prayer for protection.

10 Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. 11 May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. 12 See how the evildoers lie fallen – thrown down, not able to rise! (Psalm 36:10-12)

David makes two requests. First, David asks that God would keep doing what he’s been doing and keep showing love to those devoted to him and do what’s right. Since God has promised to bless us, it is appropriate for us to ask for those blessings. David recognized the many blessings God had given him and asked God to continue them. Too often we simply miss them because we’re not looking for them. So, we need to open our eyes for them.

Second, David asks that God would keep his enemies from him. He asks that the foot of the arrogant be kept off him and that the wicked would not be able to push him around. Even as he asks this, he recognizes the ultimate defeat of those who rebel against God. They will fall, never to rise again.

When we read about our true nature and realize the holiness of God, we have to wonder how God could ever accept us. The answer is only through the cross of Jesus. At the cross Jesus bore our sins, paying the penalty for our sins and reconciling us to God. SLIDE 19

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

The better we understand our sinfulness and God’s righteousness the more appreciative we will be for the grace of God in Christ.