The Wicked and Their Ways

For the director of music. A psalm of David, the servant of our Father.

It opens inside a wicked man's mind, where he flatters himself too well to notice his own sin. Against that cramped self-talk the psalm opens outward to our Father: love reaching the clouds, righteousness like mountains, a river of delights, light by which we see light.

Chapter 36.

Rebellion speaks to the wicked deep within his heart; there is no fear of our Father before his eyes.

For he flatters himself in his own eyes so much that he cannot detect his sin or hate it. The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; he has stopped acting wisely and doing good. Even on his bed he plots wickedness; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he does not reject what is evil.

Our Father, your covenant love reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments like the great deep; you save both people and animals, our Father. How precious is your covenant love, our Father! All people take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

Continue your covenant love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright in heart. Do not let the foot of the arrogant trample me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. There the evildoers have fallen; they are thrown down, unable to rise.