EXPOSITION
THIS short psalm is mainly didactic. It places in contrast the extreme wickedness of the wicked and the inexhaustible fulness of love, faithfulness, and righteousness which characterizes the God whom the wicked dare to offend. It ends with a brief but earnest intercessory prayer, that God will favour the righteous and protect them from the assaults of the ungodly, followed by an expression of confidence that the prayer will be granted.
The psalm divides itself into three strophes, corresponding to the division of the subject-matter.
Strophe 1. (Psalms 36:1-4) gives the portrait of the wicked man.
Strophe 2. (Psalms 36:5-9) paints the Divine goodness.
Strophe 3. (Psalms 36:10-12) contains the prayer and the expression of confidence.
The title ascribes the psalm to David; and the critics generally acquiesce. Some of them point out special Davidical indications; but no one has ventured to assign it to any particular occasion in David's life. The epithet given to David in the title, "servant of Jehovah," would seem, however, to connect it with Psalms 18:1-50.