Never Forsaken
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To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.
[1] The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart,
That there is no fear of God before his eyes.
[2] For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
[3] The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit:
He hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
[4] He deviseth mischief upon his bed;
He setteth himself in a way that is not good;
He abhorreth not evil.
[5] Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens;
And thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
[6] Thy righteousness is like the great mountains;
Thy judgments are a great deep:
O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
[7] How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
[8] They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house;
And thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
[9] For with thee is the fountain of life:
In thy light shall we see light.
[10] O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee;
And thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
[11] Let not the foot of pride come against me,
And let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
[12] There are the workers of iniquity fallen:
They are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.
Never Forsaken
In Psalm 36, David compares and contrasts God’s relationship with those who are righteous with His harsh treatment of them who are wicked. David speaks from his own personal experience and from what he has witnessed in the lives of saints and sinners. Verse after verse draws distinct differences between these two groups, leading to the undeniable conclusion of which side is better to be on. David begins with a thorough description of the heart and behaviors of the wicked. They have no fear of God, and think highly of themself, flattering themself in their own eyes. “He speaks iniquity and does no good. Even in his bed he deviseth no good” (36:4). This type of person does not abhor evil. David turns to thoughts of our merciful God. Without measure is God’s faithfulness, which reaches unto the clouds (36:5). “The Lord is righteous and his judgements are deep and just” (36:6). David cries out with joy, “how excellent is thy lovingkindness” (36:7).
Because of this mighty God and His blessings, man can trust in Him and rest under His shadow. He makes the righteous man drink of the river of His pleasures. With these is the fountain of life. “In his light, we see light” (36:9). David sees this blessed life for them who know the Lord. “They will have the lovingkindness of the Lord”(36:10). God will give His righteousness to the upright in heart. Now, after all this description of our God, David returns to his message on the plight of the wicked. “They have fallen and will not be able to rise”(36:12). Oh, how beautiful and blessed is the man who loves the Lord. Oh, how sad is the fate of those who choose evil instead.
When I read how David compares the life of the righteous and that of the wicked, I recall how different my life was before I gave my life to Christ. Similar to David’s descriptions, I was vain, selfish, and lost in sin. I did not realize that what I believed were pleasures of life were actually harming me physically, emotionally and spiritually. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the ends thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). I am so grateful that the loving, kind and merciful God that David describes here never gave up on me. Accepting Jesus into your heart transforms you into a new creation. The old life, far from the light and blessings of God, is gone away. Behold, all things have become new. (2 Cor. 5:17).
Debra Hill
Debra Hill is an independent inspirational singer, author, songwriter, and writer. As a blind performer, she adds a personal story of God’s faithfulness. Her life exemplifies that Christ’s power will work to lift all regardless of circumstances.
Elizabeth Expands:
Lovingkindness is used in this chapter in verses 7 and 10. Not to be confused as two separate words, the KJV clearly links these together as one unit. This caught my eye, especially as alternative translations use “unfailing love/love” (NIV), “steadfast love” (ESV), and “grace” (CJB). I am all too familiar with the ways that English falls short of capturing the original text, so I took a look to see what lies underneath.
The Hebrew word, “(C)hesed,” says the blue letter bible ( https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2617/kjv/wlc/0-1/). A word that encompasses all love, mercy, and kindness, but there’s still more. “Charity” is another word tied by this source to this word. I think these even still do not encompass it, but it gives us a clearer outline of the meaning.
This is not just any sort of love. This is not just ordinary daily kindness. This is the kind, loving, grace of God given charitably—free of cost and without having to ask for it—to each and every one of us.
Meet Elizabeth Baber
Elizabeth Baber is the latest addition to the Debra Hill Sings team, working as the head Virtual Assistant for the wonderful woman herself. Elizabeth would identify as an author(ess), spreadsheet fanatic, and all-around geek. The majority of her time is spent serving Central Virginia’s low-vision patients as a technician with the MedRVA Foundation.
When not at work, she can be found cooking with her fiancé, coaching Teen Bible Quizzing, wrestling novel ideas, running an online Dungeons and Dragons server, or trying her hand at one of a hundred rotating crafting hobbies.
Some of her work can be found on her website: www.writingonwords.com and you can contact her at elizabeth@writingonwords.com.
I would love to hear what this Psalm brings to mind for you! Write back to me in Facebook comment or blog reply.
Disclaimer: The intention of this project is not to teach, but rather to share. Please use due diligence in studying the word of God, and seek guidance from your local religious leaders for any questions or concerns.
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