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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Psalms 36:5-9

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalms 36:5 The pairing of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness recalls Exodus 34:6, describing God’s kindness. Righteousness and judgments express God’s enduring commitment to act kindly toward his creatures and to save them. In view of this, people can take refuge under his wings and can be welcome guests at his table.

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See also Psalms 36:5-9 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 36:5. _THY MERCY, O LORD_, IS _IN THE HEAVENS_] That is, thou art abundant, infinite in thy mercy; else such transgressors must be immediately cut off; but thy long-suffering is intended...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THY MERCY, O LORD, IS IN THE HEAVENS - This commences the second part of the psalm - the description of the character of God in contrast with the character of the wicked man. The meaning here is, evid...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 36 Contrasts _ 1. What the wicked is and does (Psalms 36:1)_ 2. What Jehovah is and does (Psalms 36:5) 3. Prayer and trust in His loving kindness ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XXXVI. We have here two Pss. or fragments of two Pss.: A, Psalms 36:1 and possibly Psalms 36:12, and B, Psalms 36:5. XXXVI. A. Psalms 36:1

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MERCY. lovingkindness, or grace (as in Psalms 36:7). LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. mountains: i.e. great and mighty. THY JUDGMENTS. And Thy just decrees. The "And" was cancelled by the Massorites...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    O Lord, thy lovingkindness _reacheth_to the heavens; Thy faithfulness even unto the skies. God's lovingkindness (Psalms 36:7_; Psalms 36:10_) and faithfulness cannot be measured. For the comparison...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    From the grievous spectacle of human perversity the Psalmist takes refuge in adoring contemplation of the character of God, the only source of life and light, who deals blessing liberally to all His c...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THY MERCY, O LORD, &C.— As much as to say, "This is my comfort still, that thy loving-kindness and faithfulness are infinitely greater than the hatred and falsehood of Saul....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 36 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Oracles False and True, Prompting Prayer and Praise. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 36:1-4, Personified Transgression Deluding and Driving on its Victim. Stanza II., Psalms...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _THY MERCY, O LORD, IS IN THE HEAVENS; AND THY FAITHFULNESS REACHETH UNTO THE CLOUDS._ The second strophe. The consolation which the pious have in God's inexhaustible mercy, faithfulness, righteousne...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    There is an abrupt transition here to an infinitely nobler theme....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This Ps. consists of two strongly contrasted pictures, one of the wickedness of the wicked man (Psalms 36:1), and one of the goodness of God (Psalms 36:5), followed by a prayer that the Psalmist may c...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 1:41 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. The notes explain some of the words with a *star by them. Tap the * before a word to show an explanation. The translated Bible tex...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THY MERCY, O LORD, IS IN... — Better, Jehovah, to the heavens (reacheth) thy grace, Thy faithfulness to the sky. _i.e.,_ there are no narrower bounds of divine mercy and truth....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Psalms 36:6]_ יְ֭הוָה בְּ הַ שָּׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 36:1 THE supposition that the sombre picture of "the wicked" in Psalms 36:1 was originally unconnected with the glorious hymn in Psalms 36:5 fails to give weight to the difference between the s...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    GOD THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE Psalms 36:1 The servant of the Lord, as the superscription tells us, is speaking here. He is horror-stricken at the ways and thoughts of the ungodly. By a bold image, Psalms...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The antithetical nature of this psalm is self-evident. In the first part (verses Psa 36:1-4), the reason and expression of the wickedness of the wicked are described. The one and only reason for trans...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Thy (e) mercy, O LORD, [is] in the heavens; [and] thy faithfulness [reacheth] unto the clouds. (e) Though wickedness seems to overflow all the world, yet by your heavenly providence you govern heaven...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Commit. Literally, "lay open." Hebrew, "roll." (Haydock) --- This expresses the most unbounded confidence, Psalm liv. 23., and Proverbs xvi. 3. --- Do it. Whatever may be proper. He will display thy...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    What a beautiful transition the Psalmist here hath made from the corruption of men, to contemplate the mercy and faithfulness of God? How beautiful also the highly finished comparisons here made of Go...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    5._O Jehovah! thy mercy is unto the heavens. _Commentators think that David, after having described the great corruption and depravity which every where prevail in the world, takes occasion from thenc...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 36. We have a needed warning as to the wicked, particularly the enemies of righteousness, the instruments of Satan's power. There is no conscience to be expected; nothing that will stop them in...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THY MERCY, O LORD, [IS] IN THE HEAVENS,.... Meaning either the general mercy of God the earth is full of, and extends to all creatures; to which it is owing that wicked men before described are not co...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Thy mercy, O LORD, [is] in the heavens; [and] thy faithfulness [reacheth] unto the clouds. Ver. 5. _Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens_] Yea, far above them, Psalms 108:4, and over all thy good and...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens_ Where it reigns in perfection and to eternity; and from whence it is extended to the sinful and miserable children of men, who peculiarly need it _And thy faithf...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE CURSE OF ESTRANGEMENT FROM GOD AND THE BLESSING OF FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM. To the chief musician, for use in the liturgical services of the Temple, a psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who her...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, rather, reaches up to the heavens; AND THY FAITHFULNESS, with which He keeps His promises of mercy, REACHETH UNTO THE CLOUDS, filling the whole world....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    5-12 Men may shut up their compassion, yet, with God we shall find mercy. This is great comfort to all believers, plainly to be seen, and not to be taken away. God does all wisely and well; but what...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Though this be the disposition and carriage of mine enemies towards me, and therefore I can expect no good from them, yet thou, O Lord, blessed be thy name, art of another temper; they are cruel and p...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 36:5 mercy H2617 LORD H3068 heavens H8064 faithfulness H530 clouds H7834 mercy - Psalms 52:1,...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    IN CONTRAST TO WHAT TRANSGRESSION OFFERS YHWH OFFERS COMPASSION, F FAITHFULNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUSTICE, AND THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE (PSALMS 36:5). Psalms 36:5 ‘Your lovingkindness, O YHWH, is in t...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 36:5 The chief part of our text sets before us God in the variety and boundlessness of His loving nature, and the close of it shows us man sheltering beneath God's wings. I. We have, first, Go...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The wicked contrasted with the righteous and the Lord of devout men extolled. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: Sinners are self destroyers and when sin is finally made to appear in its...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Psalms 36:1. _There is no fear of God before his eyes._ David had some particular or general character of a wicked man before his eyes; a man who flattered himself as bearing an appearance of wisdom a...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Thy mercy, O Lord, Is in the heavens; and Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds._ SKY, EARTH AND SEA; A PARABLE OF GOD This wonderful description of the manifold brightness of the Divine nature...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before hill eyes._ A SHARP CONTRAST OF SIN AND HOLINESS I. the character of the wicked (Verses 1-4). Depravity is...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION This psalm was written by David. From Psalms 36:1 he describes the rebellious; Psalms 36:5 he extols the various attributes of the Lord; and in Psalms 36:10 he add see the Lord in prayer...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THIS short psalm is mainly didactic. It places in contrast the extreme wickedness of the wicked and the inexhaustible fulness of love, faithfulness, and righteousness which characterizes t...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful. The words of hi...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Hebrews 6:18; Isaiah 55:7; Matthew 24:35; Psalms 103:11; Psalms 1

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Thy mercy — Mine enemies are cruel and perfidious, but thou art infinite in mercy, and faithfulness. Heavens — Is infinite and incomprehensible. Faithfulness — The truth both of thy threatenings again...

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