Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 36:1

"The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes." — Psalms 36:1 (ASV)

The transgression of the wicked - There is considerable difficulty regarding the grammatical construction of the Hebrew in this verse, though the general sense is plain. The main idea is undoubtedly that the fair explanation of the wicked's conduct, or the fair inference to be drawn from it, was that they had no fear of God before them; they did not properly regard or fear God.

The psalmist introduces himself as looking at the conduct or the acts of the wicked, and he says that their conduct can be explained, in his judgment, or in his heart, in no other way than on this supposition. The word “transgression” here refers to some open and public act. The psalmist does not state what the particular act was, though it probably related to something done to himself.

What is said here, however, with particular reference to his enemies, may be regarded as a general truth regarding the wicked. Namely, their conduct is such that the fair interpretation of what they do is that there is no fear of God before their eyes, or that they have no regard for His will.

Saith - This word—נאם n^e'ûm—is a participle from a verb, נאם nâ'am, meaning to mutter, to murmur, or to speak in a low voice, and is used especially with reference to the divine voice in which the oracles of God were revealed to the prophets (Compare to 1 Kings 19:12). It is found most commonly in connection with the word “Lord” or “Yahweh,” expressed by the phrase “Saith the Lord,” as if the oracle were the voice of Yahweh (Genesis 22:16; Numbers 14:28; Isaiah 1:24; Isaiah 3:15, and often). It is correctly rendered here “saith;” or, the “saying” of the transgression of the wicked is, etc. That is, this is what their conduct “says;” or, this is the fair interpretation of their conduct.

Within my heart - Hebrew: “in the midst of my heart.” Evidently this means in my judgment; in my apprehension; or, as we should say, “So it seems or appears to me.” My heart, or my judgment, puts this construction on their conduct, and can put no other on it.

That there is no fear of God - No reverence for God; no regard for His will. The sinner acts without any restraint derived from the law or the will of God.

Before his eyes - He does not see or apprehend God; he acts as if there were no God. This is the fair interpretation to be put upon the conduct of the wicked “everywhere”—that they have no regard for God or His law.