Psalm 36:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise.

NIV: See how the evildoers lie fallen-- thrown down, not able to rise!

NASB: Those who do injustice have fallen there; They have been thrust down and cannot rise.

CSB: There! The evildoers have fallen. They have been thrown down and cannot rise.

NLT: Look! Those who do evil have fallen! They are thrown down, never to rise again.

KJV: There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.

NKJV: There the workers of iniquity have fallen; They have been cast down and are not able to rise.

In recent verses, David has been praying for God's defeat of evil and wicked enemies (Psalm 36:10–11). Here, he expresses supreme confidence in the Lord's eventual victory. This statement depicts those same enemies as if they are already beaten. He foresees a time when they lie fallen and unable to rise again.

At times, we fear a defeated enemy may regroup and attack once again. In the end times, God will accomplish an absolute and irreversible victory. After the rapture, when God removes Christians from the earth, the seven-year tribulation period takes place. Many Jews will come to know the Lord as their Messiah, but they will face intense persecution from the man of sin and his followers. The Devil will use the wicked to pursue and persecute the saved Jews (Revelation 12). However, at the end of the tribulation, Jesus will return to earth. He will deliver His persecuted tribulation saints. He will thoroughly defeat and destroy the wicked.

Revelation 19:11–21 unveils the picture of this decisive victory, and Revelation 20:7–15 relates the final punishment of everyone whose name is not written in the Lamb's book of life. Today, at times it seems that the wicked are winning the war against the righteous, but ultimately the tables will turn, and both sin and death will be "thrust down," never to rise again (2 Peter 3:8–13).

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.