Psalm 36:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.

NIV: In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.

NASB: For it flatters him in his own eyes Concerning the discovery of his wrongful deed and the hatred of it.

CSB: For with his flattering opinion of himself, he does not discover and hate his iniquity.

NLT: In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are.

KJV: For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

NKJV: For he flatters himself in his own eyes, When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.

A common attitude among those who reject God's wisdom (Proverbs 1:7) is the deception of thinking there will be no consequences (Psalm 36:1). Those fooled by sinful thinking assume no one will know, or care, about what they have done. This perspective is wrong: it means looking at sin from a fallible, human perspective instead of through God's eyes.

Although God loves the sinner (Ezekiel 18:23; Romans 5:10), He despises sin (Proverbs 6:16–19). Furthermore, as Hebrews 4:13 points out, "No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, they tried to hide from God (Genesis 3:8). Sin causes sinners to try to hide from God, but every such attempt will fail. No one escapes the punishment deserved for sin unless they trust Jesus Christ as Savior (John 3:16–18). When they do, they receive forgiveness as well as the power to resist temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 2:12–13).

Psalm 36:1–4 opens with an ugly but accurate picture of the immoral, evil person. Sin is lodged deep inside them, without respect for God or His will. Such a person lives as if there will never be consequences for their actions; as if no one will even know about their sin. David characterizes this depraved person as plotting sin, embracing evil, and ignoring godly wisdom.

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.

Accessed 11/22/2024 4:10:33 PM