Psalm 36 · a question people ask

Psalm 36 speaks of "the wicked" (36:1). Why does Paul use its words about everyone?

In the text

The psalm sets two kinds of people apart. It speaks of "the wicked" (36:1), and it prays, "Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart" (36:10). Paul (Romans 1:1) writes that "both Jews and Greeks" are "all under sin" (Romans 3:9), and after "As it is written" (Romans 3:10) he gives a run of Scripture's words that ends, "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18), words close to Psalm 36:1. He says what the words are for: "that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God" (Romans 3:19). And he goes on, "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Romans doesn't name the psalm, and doesn't say what the psalmist had in mind. Both are in Scripture: the psalm's line between the wicked and the upright in heart, and Paul's "all under sin". Psalm 14's notes ask the same kind of question of Psalm 14 and Romans 3:10-12, and follow Paul on to where he goes next.

The verses

“For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of the LORD. A revelation is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.”
Psalm 36:1 · World English Bible
“Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.”
Psalm 36:10 · World English Bible
“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God,”
Romans 1:1 · World English Bible
“What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one.”
Romans 3:9-10 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 36

Psalm 36: The spring of life

Psalm 36 calls what it sees in the wicked a revelation, ne'um, the word of the prophets' "says the LORD", and Romans has nearly the same words, "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18). Then it looks up and says, "with you is the spring of life" (36:9): Hebrew words found elsewhere only in Proverbs, once of "the fear of the LORD" (Proverbs 14:27).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions