John Calvin Commentary Psalms 36

Ungodliness says to the wicked in the midst of my heart. Commentators do not agree on the interpretation of the first verse. Literally, it is, The saying [or speech] of transgression, or rather, Transgression says to the wicked. However, since the letter ל , lamed, is in Hebrew sometimes used for מן , min, some translate it this way: Ungodliness or transgression speaks of the wicked in my heart; as if the prophet were saying, "I clearly perceive from the wickedness that the ungodly commit that they are not influenced by the fear of God."

But since there is no need to depart from the proper meaning of the words, I rather agree with others in supposing that the prophet's language is to this effect: The malice of the wicked, though seemingly hidden and unknown, speaks aloud in my heart, and I am a sure witness of what it says or suggests.

First, it should be observed that the prophet does not speak of outward faults but penetrates to the very source, as if he were saying, "Although the wicked cloak their malice with wily dissimulation, yet I know it so well that I seem to hear it speaking."

It is indeed true that as the ungodly and profane rush headlong into every kind of wickedness, as if they were never to be called to give an account of it, the judgment David expresses here may be formed even from their life. But his language is much more emphatic when he says that God's servants openly perceive the depravity of such people hidden within the heart.

Now David does not speak of the wicked generally, but of the abandoned despisers of God. There are many who indulge in their vices who, nevertheless, are not intoxicated by the wretched infatuation David censures here. But when a person becomes hardened in committing sin, ungodliness eventually reduces him to such a state of insensibility that, despising God's judgment, he indulges without fear in every sin to which his depraved appetite impels him.

A reckless assurance, therefore, in committing sin, and especially where it is associated with contempt and scorn for every holy admonition, is, so to speak, an enchantment of Satan, which indicates that the condition of such a person is indeed hopeless. And although true religion has the effect of keeping the hearts of the godly in the fear of God and drives wicked thoughts far from their minds, this still does not prevent them from perceiving and understanding in their hearts how the ungodly are agitated with horrible fury when they neither regard God nor are afraid of His judgments.

There is no fear of God before his eyes. David shows in these few words the outcome of all evil suggestions; and it is this: that with the sense of both good and evil destroyed or suppressed, people shrink from nothing, as if there were no God seated in heaven, the Judge of all.

The meaning, therefore, is that ungodliness speaks in my heart to the wicked person, urging him to the extreme of madness, so that, laying aside all fear of God, he abandons himself to the practice of sin. That is to say, I know what the ungodly imagine in their hearts as well as if God had appointed me as a witness or judge to unveil their hypocrisy, under whose mask they think their detestable malice is hidden and deeply buried.

Therefore, when the wicked are not restrained by the fear of God from committing sin, this proceeds from that secret discourse with themselves to which we have referred. By this discourse, their understanding is so depraved and blinded that, like brute beasts, they run to every excess in rioting.

Since the eyes are, so to speak, the guides and conductors of a person in this life, and by their influence move the other senses here and there, it is therefore said that people have the fear of God before their eyes when it regulates their lives. By presenting itself to them on every side to which they may turn, it serves like a bridle to restrain their appetites and passions.

David, by using a contrary form of expression here, means that the ungodly run to every excess in licentiousness, without any regard for God, because the depravity of their own hearts has completely blinded them.

For he flattereth himself in his own eyes. Here the Psalmist shows by their fruits, or the marks of their character, that there is no fear of God among the wicked, since they take such pleasure in committing deeds of wickedness that, although hateful in the sight of all other people, they still cherish the natural obstinacy of their hearts and willfully harden themselves in their evil course.

First, he says that they nourish their vices by flatteries, so that they may not be dissatisfied with themselves in sinning. But when he adds, until their iniquity be found to be hateful, by these words he is to be understood as referring to their determined obstinacy; for the meaning is that while they falsely flatter themselves, they proceed to such an extent in their evil course that their iniquity becomes hateful to all people.

Some translate the words this way: So that he himself finds his own iniquity to be hateful; and understand them as meaning that the wicked persist in rushing headlong into sin without restraint until, satiated or glutted with the indulgence of their depraved desires, they begin to loathe it: for even the most depraved are sometimes dissatisfied with themselves on account of their sinful conduct.

The first interpretation is, however, the more natural: namely, that the wicked, though they are hateful to all people on account of their iniquity (which, when once discovered and revealed, excites a general feeling of displeasure), are not affected by any displeasure against themselves. On the contrary, they applaud themselves, while other people despise them and abhor the wickedness of their lives.

The prophet, therefore, condemns them for their infatuation in this: while all others are offended at their disgraceful conduct, they themselves are not at all affected by it. As far as it is in their power, they abolish all distinction between good and evil and lull their conscience into a state of insensibility, so that it will not pain them and urge them to repentance.

Certainly, the infatuation described here should be the subject of our serious consideration. This infatuation is manifested in this: that people who are given up to a reprobate mind, while they make themselves hateful in the sight of all other people, are nevertheless destitute of all sense of their own sins.

The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. The two clauses of this verse may be understood as referring to the same thing, namely, that the wicked indulging in deceit and vanity, will not receive or admit the light of understanding. This, I understand, is the meaning of David.

He reproves the wicked not merely for circumventing others by their wiles and stratagems, but especially because they are altogether destitute of uprightness and sincerity. We have already said that the Psalmist is here speaking not of sinful and wicked men, in whose hearts there still remains some fear of God, but of the profane despisers of his name, who have given themselves up entirely to the practice of sin.

He therefore says that they have always in their mouth some frivolous excuses and vain pretexts, by which they encourage themselves in rejecting and scoffing at all sound doctrine.

He then adds that they purposely suppress in themselves all knowledge or understanding of the distinction between good and evil, because they have no desire to become better than they are.

We know that God has given understanding to men to direct them to do what is good. Now David says that the wicked shun it, and strive to deprive themselves of it, so that they may not be constrained to repent of their wickedness and amend their lives.

We are taught from this passage that if at any time we turn aside from the path of rectitude, the only remedy in such a case is to open the eyes of our understanding, so that we may rightly distinguish between good and evil, and thus be led back from our wandering. When, instead of doing this, a man refuses instruction, it is an indication that he is in a state of depravity altogether desperate.

He meditates iniquity upon his bed. Here the sacred writer shows that the wickedness of the ungodly man is of a secret and very determined character.

It sometimes happens that many, who otherwise are not inclined to wickedness, err and fall into sin because an occasion suddenly presents itself.

But David tells us that the wicked, even when they are withdrawn from the sight of others and in retirement, devise schemes of mischief. Thus, although no temptation is presented to them, nor the evil example of others to incite them to it, they, of their own accord, devise mischief and compel themselves to it, not being impelled by anything else.

Since he describes the reprobate by this distinguishing characteristic—that they devise mischief upon their beds—true believers should learn from this to engage in different kinds of meditations when alone, and to make their own lives the subject of examination, so that they may exclude all evil thoughts from their minds.

The Psalmist next refers to their stubbornness, declaring that they set themselves in a crooked and perverse way; meaning, they purposely and willfully harden themselves in doing evil. Finally, he adds the reason for this: They abhor not evil. Willfully shutting their eyes, they rush forward in their headlong course until they spontaneously yield themselves as slaves to wickedness.

Let us now briefly state the contrast between the ungodly and the people of God, as found in the preceding verses.

The former deceive themselves by flattery; the latter exercise strict control over themselves and examine themselves with rigid scrutiny. The former, loosening the reins, rush headlong into evil; the latter are restrained by the fear of God. The former conceal or disguise their offenses with sophistry and turn light into darkness; the latter willingly acknowledge their guilt, and by a candid confession are brought to repentance. The former reject all sound judgment; the latter always desire to vindicate their ways by coming into the open light of day. The former invent various ways of doing evil upon their beds; the latter are diligently on their guard so that they do not devise or stir up any sinful desire within themselves. The former indulge a deep and fixed contempt of God; the latter willingly cherish a constant displeasure at their sins.

O Jehovah! Your mercy is to the heavens. Commentators think that David, after having described the great corruption and depravity which everywhere prevail in the world, takes occasion from that to extol in rapturous praises the wonderful forbearance of God, in not ceasing to manifest His favor and goodwill towards men, even though they are sunk in iniquity and crime.

But, as I have already observed, I am of a somewhat different opinion. After having spoken of the very great depravity of men, the prophet, afraid lest he become infected by it, or be carried away by the example of the wicked, as by a flood, leaves the subject and recovers himself by reflecting on a different theme.

It usually happens that in condemning the wicked, the contagion of their malice insinuates itself into our minds when we are not conscious of it; and there is scarcely one in a hundred who, after having complained of the malice of others, keeps himself in true godliness, pure and unpolluted.

The meaning, therefore, is that although we may see among men a sad and frightful confusion, which, like a great gulf, would swallow up the minds of the godly, David, nevertheless, maintains that the world is full of the goodness and righteousness of God, and that He governs heaven and earth on the strictest principles of equity.

And certainly, whenever the corruption of the world affects our minds, and fills us with amazement, we must take care not to limit our views to the wickedness of men who overturn and confound all things; but in the midst of this strange confusion, it is fitting for us to elevate our thoughts in admiration and wonder, to the contemplation of the secret providence of God.

David here enumerates four cardinal attributes of Deity, which, according to the figure of speech called synecdoche, include all the others, and by which he intimates, in short, that although carnal reason may suggest to us that the world moves at random, and is directed by chance, yet we ought to consider that the infinite power of God is always associated with perfect righteousness.

In saying that the goodness of God is to the heavens, David’s meaning is that in its greatness it is as high as the heavens. In the same sense, he adds, Your truth is even to the clouds.

The term truth in this place may be taken either for the faithfulness which God manifests in accomplishing His promises, or for the just and well-regulated character of His government, in which His rectitude is seen to be pure and free from all deception.

But there are many other similar passages of Scripture which constrain me to refer it to the promises of God, in the keeping and fulfilling of which He is ever faithful.