Bible/Psalms/36

Psalms 36:4

36:3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil. mischief: or, vanity

KJV

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He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn’t abhor evil.

He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

He devises mischief on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he abhors not evil.

36:5 Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

What does Psalms 36:4 mean?

Psalms 36:4 is a verse in the book of Psalms, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include חָשַׁב (châshab), אָוֶן (ʼâven), מִשְׁכָּב (mishkâb). It connects to 7 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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He
devisethחָשַׁבchâshab/khaw-shab'/H2803properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e. (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute
mischiefאָוֶןʼâven/aw-ven'/H205strictly nothingness; also trouble. vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol
upon
his
bed;מִשְׁכָּבmishkâb/mish-kawb'/H4904a bed (figuratively, a bier); abstractly, sleep; by euphemism, carnal intercourse
he
settethיָצַבyâtsab/yaw-tsab'/H3320to place (any thing so as to stay); reflexively, to station, offer, continue
himself
in
a
wayדֶּרֶךְderek/deh'-rek/H1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
that
is
not
good;טוֹבṭôwb/tobe/H2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
he
abhorrethמָאַסmâʼaç/maw-as'/H3988to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear
not
evil.רַעraʻ/rah/H7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
mischief:
or,
vanity

Commentary on Psalms 36:4

HENRY_FULL · Psalms 36:4
ut by God and his own conscience, to both which he appeals touching his integrity ( ver. 1, 2 ), for the proof of which he alleges, I. His constant regard to God and his grace, ver. 3 . II. His rooted antipathy to sin and sinners, ver. 4, 5 . III. His sincere affection to the ordinances of God, and his care about them, ver. 6-8 . Having thus proved his integrity, 1. He deprecates the doom of the wicked, ver. 9, 10 . 2. He casts himself upon the mercy and grace of God, with a resolution to hold fast his integrity, and his hope in God, ver. 11, 12 . In singing this psalm we must teach and admonish ourselves, and one another, what we must be and do that we may have the favour of God, and comfort in our own consciences, and comfort ourselves with it, as David does, if we can say that in any measure we have, through grace, answered to these characters. The learned Amyraldus, in his argument of his psalm, suggests that David is here, by the spirit of prophecy, carried out to speak of himself as a type of Christ, of whom what he here says of his spotless innocence, was fully and eminently true, and of him only, and to him we may apply it in singing this psalm. "We are complete in him." Devout Appeals. 1 Judge me, O Lord ; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Job 13:23

How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

Job 31:4

Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

Psalms 7:9

Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

Psalms 17:3

Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Psalms 66:10

For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

Jeremiah 20:12

But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

Zechariah 13:9

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Topics

PsalmsVanityWicked

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Psalms 36:4.

Genesis 50:20

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

1 Samuel 10:19

And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

1 Samuel 15:23

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. witchcraft: Heb. divination

Genesis 2:17

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. thou shalt surely: Heb. dying thou shalt die

Genesis 2:9

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 24:50

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

Genesis 26:29

That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD. That: Heb. If thou shalt

Genesis 3:22

And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Frequently asked questions

What does Psalms 36:4 say?

Psalms 36:4 (King James Version) reads: "He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil. mischief: or, vanity"

Is Psalms 36:4 in the Old or New Testament?

Psalms 36:4 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Psalms.

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As you read Psalms 36:4, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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