Psalm 36 Text
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Psalm 36/Text
Choose a PsalmNavigate Psalm 36
YHWH's Unending Loyalty
Psalm 36
Please note: Resources for Psalm 36 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.
Listen & Read: Psalm 36
Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 36. Choose between simple, unaffected audio recordings (in Hebrew or English), or a dramatized reading that takes into account our emotional and discourse analyses. You can also choose between a text-only view, or a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, Expanded Paraphrase, or Participant Analysis tracking.
| Simple Reading (Hebrew) |
Simple Reading (English) |
| Dramatic Reading (Hebrew) |
Dramatic Reading (English) |
Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לְעֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֬ה לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1a | For the director. By the servant of YHWH — by David. |
| *נְאֻֽם־פֶּ֣שַׁע לָ֭רָשָׁע בְּקֶ֣רֶב *לִבּוֹ | 2a | Rebellion’s declaration [speaks] to the wicked in the midst of his heart. |
| אֵֽין־פַּ֥חַד אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃ | 2b | There is no fear of God before his eyes. |
| כִּֽי־הֶחֱלִ֣יק אֵלָ֣יו בְּעֵינָ֑יו | 3a | For [Rebellion] has flattered him in his eyes, |
| לִמְצֹ֖א עֲוֺנ֣וֹ לִשְׂנֹֽא׃ | 3b | that he has found his iniquity and hated it. |
| דִּבְרֵי־פִ֭יו אָ֣וֶן וּמִרְמָ֑ה | 4a | The words of his mouth are evil and deceit. |
| חָדַ֖ל לְהַשְׂכִּ֣יל לְהֵיטִֽיב׃ | 4b | He has ceased to act wisely and to do good. |
| אָ֤וֶן ׀יַחְשֹׁ֗ב עַֽל־מִשְׁכָּ֫ב֥וֹ | 5a | He plots evil on his bed. |
| יִ֭תְיַצֵּב עַל־ *כֹּל* דֶּ֣רֶךְ לֹא־ט֑וֹב | 5b | He remains beside every way that is not good. |
| רָ֝֗ע לֹ֣א יִמְאָֽס׃ | 5c | He does not refuse evil. |
| יְ֭הוָה בְּהַשָּׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ | 6a | YHWH, your loyalty is in the sky; |
| אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ עַד־שְׁחָקִֽים׃ | 6b | your faithfulness [extends] up to the clouds. |
| צִדְקָֽתְךָ֨ ׀ כְּֽהַרְרֵי־אֵ֗ל | 7a | Your justice is like the mighty mountains; |
| מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶךָ תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֑ה | 7b | your judgment is [like] the great ocean. |
| אָ֤דָֽם־וּבְהֵמָ֖ה תוֹשִׁ֣יעַ יְהוָֽה׃ | 7c | You deliver humans and animals, YHWH. |
| מַה־יָּקָ֥ר חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים | 8a | How precious is your loyalty, God! |
| וּבְנֵ֥י אָדָ֑ם בְּצֵ֥ל כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָ יֶחֱסָיֽוּן׃ | 8b | Mortals take refuge within the protection of your wings. |
| יִ֭רְוְיֻן מִדֶּ֣שֶׁן בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ | 9a | They drink to the full from the abundance of your house |
| וְנַ֖חַל עֲדָנֶ֣יךָ תַשְׁקֵֽם׃ | 9b | and you give them drink from your delightful stream, |
| כִּֽי־עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים | 10a | Because the spring of life is with you. |
| בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־אֽוֹר׃ | 10b | By your light we can see light. |
| מְשֹׁ֣ךְ חַ֭סְדְּךָ לְיֹדְעֶ֑יךָ | 11a | Continue your loyalty for those who know you; |
| וְ֝צִדְקָֽתְךָ֗ לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃ | 11b | and [continue] your righteousness for the upright in heart! |
| אַל־תְּ֭בוֹאֵנִי רֶ֣גֶל גַּאֲוָ֑ה | 12a | Do not let the foot of the arrogant come against me; |
| וְיַד־רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים אַל־תְּנִדֵֽנִי׃ | 12b | and do not let the hand of the wicked drive me away! |
| שָׁ֣ם נָ֭פְלוּ פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן | 13a | Evildoers have fallen there. |
| דֹּ֝ח֗וּ | 13b | They have been thrust down |
| וְלֹא־יָ֥כְלוּ קֽוּם׃ | 13c | and have not been able to stand up. |
Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לְעֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֬ה לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1a | For the director. By the servant of YHWH — by David. |
| *נְאֻֽם־פֶּ֣שַׁע לָ֭רָשָׁע בְּקֶ֣רֶב *לִבּוֹ | 2a | Rebellion’s declaration [speaks] to the wicked in the midst of his heart. |
| אֵֽין־פַּ֥חַד אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃ | 2b | There is no fear of God before his eyes. |
| כִּֽי־הֶחֱלִ֣יק אֵלָ֣יו בְּעֵינָ֑יו | 3a | For [Rebellion] has flattered him in his eyes, |
| לִמְצֹ֖א עֲוֺנ֣וֹ לִשְׂנֹֽא׃ | 3b | that he has found his iniquity and hated it. |
| דִּבְרֵי־פִ֭יו אָ֣וֶן וּמִרְמָ֑ה | 4a | The words of his mouth are evil and deceit. |
| חָדַ֖ל לְהַשְׂכִּ֣יל לְהֵיטִֽיב׃ | 4b | He has ceased to act wisely and to do good. |
| אָ֤וֶן ׀יַחְשֹׁ֗ב עַֽל־מִשְׁכָּ֫ב֥וֹ | 5a | He plots evil on his bed. |
| יִ֭תְיַצֵּב עַל־ *כֹּל* דֶּ֣רֶךְ לֹא־ט֑וֹב | 5b | He remains beside every way that is not good. |
| רָ֝֗ע לֹ֣א יִמְאָֽס׃ | 5c | He does not refuse evil. |
| יְ֭הוָה בְּהַשָּׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ | 6a | YHWH, your loyalty is in the sky; |
| אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ עַד־שְׁחָקִֽים׃ | 6b | your faithfulness [extends] up to the clouds. |
| צִדְקָֽתְךָ֨ ׀ כְּֽהַרְרֵי־אֵ֗ל | 7a | Your justice is like the mighty mountains; |
| מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶךָ תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֑ה | 7b | your judgment is [like] the great ocean. |
| אָ֤דָֽם־וּבְהֵמָ֖ה תוֹשִׁ֣יעַ יְהוָֽה׃ | 7c | You deliver humans and animals, YHWH. |
| מַה־יָּקָ֥ר חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים | 8a | How precious is your loyalty, God! |
| וּבְנֵ֥י אָדָ֑ם בְּצֵ֥ל כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָ יֶחֱסָיֽוּן׃ | 8b | Mortals take refuge within the protection of your wings. |
| יִ֭רְוְיֻן מִדֶּ֣שֶׁן בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ | 9a | They drink to the full from the abundance of your house |
| וְנַ֖חַל עֲדָנֶ֣יךָ תַשְׁקֵֽם׃ | 9b | and you give them drink from your delightful stream, |
| כִּֽי־עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים | 10a | Because the spring of life is with you. |
| בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־אֽוֹר׃ | 10b | By your light we can see light. |
| מְשֹׁ֣ךְ חַ֭סְדְּךָ לְיֹדְעֶ֑יךָ | 11a | Continue your loyalty for those who know you; |
| וְ֝צִדְקָֽתְךָ֗ לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃ | 11b | and [continue] your righteousness for the upright in heart! |
| אַל־תְּ֭בוֹאֵנִי רֶ֣גֶל גַּאֲוָ֑ה | 12a | Do not let the foot of the arrogant come against me; |
| וְיַד־רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים אַל־תְּנִדֵֽנִי׃ | 12b | and do not let the hand of the wicked drive me away! |
| שָׁ֣ם נָ֭פְלוּ פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן | 13a | Evildoers have fallen there. |
| דֹּ֝ח֗וּ | 13b | They have been thrust down |
| וְלֹא־יָ֥כְלוּ קֽוּם׃ | 13c | and have not been able to stand up. |
Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Expanded Paraphrase |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לְעֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֬ה לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1 | For the director. By the servant of YHWH — by David. |
| *נְאֻֽם־פֶּ֣שַׁע לָ֭רָשָׁע בְּקֶ֣רֶב *לִבּוֹ אֵֽין־פַּ֥חַד אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃ | 2 | Pretending to be a prophet invested with divine authority, personified Rebellion's pseudo-prophetic declaration [speaks] to the wicked in the midst of his heart that is, the core of his being . Choosing Rebellion's influence instead of YHWH's leads to the wicked thinking: There is no fear of God before his eyes In other words, he cannot perceive what it is to live rightly before God. |
| כִּֽי־הֶחֱלִ֣יק אֵלָ֣יו בְּעֵינָ֑יו לִמְצֹ֖א עֲוֺנ֣וֹ לִשְׂנֹֽא׃ | 3 | For Rebellion has flattered him in his eyes in other words, deceived the wicked person into thinking that he has found his iniquity and hated it with the result that the wicked person no longer notices his sin but is blind to it. |
| דִּבְרֵי־פִ֭יו אָ֣וֶן וּמִרְמָ֑ה חָדַ֖ל לְהַשְׂכִּ֣יל לְהֵיטִֽיב׃ | 4 | The consequence of the wicked person's faulty perception is that The words of his mouth are evil and deceit. He has also ceased to act wisely and to do good. |
| אָ֤וֶן ׀יַחְשֹׁ֗ב עַֽל־מִשְׁכָּ֫ב֥וֹ יִ֭תְיַצֵּב עַל־ *כֹּל* דֶּ֣רֶךְ לֹא־ט֑וֹב רָ֝֗ע לֹ֣א יִמְאָֽס׃ | 5 | He is not satisfied with others' evil: He plots evil of his own while on his bed. He acts on his schemes: He remains beside every way, that is, looking for an opportunity that is not good. He does not refuse evil but seizes every opportunity to undermine goodness and work wickedness. |
| יְ֭הוָה בְּהַשָּׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ עַד־שְׁחָקִֽים׃ | 6 | Yet you are entirely unconcerned! Your character is in no way threatened. Instead of being intimidated by evil, if I understand your character, I will sing a hymn of praise: YHWH, your loyalty to your people is in the unending sky, that is, is everlasting and completely unthreatened by his evil; your faithfulness to your people[extends] up to the clouds, that is, is equally everlasting and completely unthreatened by any evil. |
| צִדְקָֽתְךָ֨ ׀ כְּֽהַרְרֵי־אֵ֗ל מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶךָ תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֑ה אָ֤דָֽם־וּבְהֵמָ֖ה תוֹשִׁ֣יעַ יְהוָֽה׃ | 7 | Your justice is steadfast and sure like the mighty mountains and is guaranteed to vindicate your people and deliver them from evil; your judgment is steadfast and sure[like] the great ocean and is guaranteed to vindicate your people and deliver them from evil. Indeed, You deliver all living creatures, that is, humans and animals, YHWH. |
| מַה־יָּקָ֥ר חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים וּבְנֵ֥י אָדָ֑ם בְּצֵ֥ל כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָ יֶחֱסָיֽוּן׃ | 8 | As creation testifies, so do I: How precious is your loyalty, God! Your loyalty to your covenant people is the hope and security of all your people. Mortals take refuge in your loyalty to them: like a baby chick with its mother, mortals shelter under the cherubim on the lid of the ark of the covenant, within the protection of your wings on the mercy seat. |
| יִ֭רְוְיֻן מִדֶּ֣שֶׁן בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ וְנַ֖חַל עֲדָנֶ֣יךָ תַשְׁקֵֽם׃ | 9 | The ark belongs within a temple and a well-watered garden, like the Garden of Eden. When they take refuge there, They drink to the full from the abundance of your house that is, your temple and you give them drink from your delightful literally, “Eden”-like stream, |
| כִּֽי־עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־אֽוֹר׃ | 10 | because the spring that is, the source of life is with you because you are life itself and the creator/giver of life. By your light, which radiates from your face and proves your favor, we can see light that is, experience salvation and prosperity and are thus able to live within your temple forever. |
| מְשֹׁ֣ךְ חַ֭סְדְּךָ לְיֹדְעֶ֑יךָ וְ֝צִדְקָֽתְךָ֗ לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃ | 11 | The evil of the wicked cannot stand against your loyalty, which is why I know that you will Continue your loyalty for those who know you that is, those who are loyal to you and [continue] your righteousness for those who choose straight, correct paths, that is the upright in heart and not those who choose crooked, wrongs paths, that is, the wicked! |
| אַל־תְּ֭בוֹאֵנִי רֶ֣גֶל גַּאֲוָ֑ה וְיַד־רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים אַל־תְּנִדֵֽנִי׃ | 12 | Your loyalty is so powerful I know that you Do not let the foot of the arrogant which threatens to step on my neck and subdue me come against me as I dwell within your temple; and do not let the hand of the wicked which threatens to overpower me drive me away from your presence in the temple! |
| שָׁ֣ם נָ֭פְלוּ פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן דֹּ֝ח֗וּ וְלֹא־יָ֥כְלוּ קֽוּם׃ | 13 | Because YHWH has continued his loyalty to his people, I know that evil cannot endure. This is why Evildoers have already fallen dead, never to rise again there at YHWH's temple where they threatened to overtake us. They have been thrust down by YHWH and have not been able to stand up again in order to seek our lives. |
Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.
