Psalm 36:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

NIV: May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

NASB: May the foot of pride not come upon me, And may the hand of the wicked not drive me away.

CSB: Do not let the foot of the arrogant come near me or the hand of the wicked drive me away.

NLT: Don’t let the proud trample me or the wicked push me around.

KJV: Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.

NKJV: Let not the foot of pride come against me, And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.

David prays for protection from wickedness. In poetic style, he refers to both hands and feet, in this context as weapons or instruments of violence. Hands hold weapons (Psalm 149:6) and feet are used to trample an enemy and signal their submission (Psalm 56:2). In David's case this was a very literal concept, as his enemies often sought to kill him (1 Samuel 19:1–2; 2 Samuel 15:13–14). Influence, also, is a way in which wickedness tempts believers (Proverbs 13:20).

This prayer provides a warning to believers today to trust the Lord for protection. God does not always promise physical security, and not all threats are as immediate as those faced by David. Yet Christians should note the spiritual nature of their real enemy, instead of being self-reliant (Ephesians 6:10–18). Peter learned the hard way that self-confidence paves the road to a spiritual fall. He boasted that he would never forsake the Lord (John 13:36–38), but later, while warming himself at the enemy's fire, he denied Jesus three times (John 18:15–18, 25–27). The Bible assures us that pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18) and warns, "Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Psalm 36:10–12 closes the song as David offers a prayer. He asks the Lord to continue to show love and righteousness to those who closely follow Him. He asks God to prevent the proud wicked from influencing him or distracting him from his calling. David pictures those who do evil as already defeated and utterly conquered.

David begins this psalm by reflecting on the deeply rooted sin which makes people rebel against God. This comes along with arrogance and an impulse to do evil all the time. In stark contrast, the Lord's character and conduct are flawless. His unfailing love is compared to the height of clouds and mountains and to the depth of the ocean. God's merciful love is praised. David concludes with a prayer that the Lord's unfailing love will continue to favor the upright in heart.

This psalm uses common themes from David's other writings which celebrate God's loyal love for those who honor Him (Psalm 3:3; 7:10; 40:9–10). The passage focuses on David's thoughts regarding evil in the world and the contrast such attitudes show to God's character. He concludes the psalm with a prayer that God would continue to extend love and righteousness to His people.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.