The Meaning of Psalms 36:4 Explained

Psalms 36:4

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

YLT: Iniquity he deviseth on his bed, He stationeth himself on a way not good, Evil he doth not refuse.'

Darby: He deviseth wickedness up on his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good: he abhorreth not evil.

ASV: He deviseth iniquity upon his bed; He setteth himself in a way that is not good; He abhorreth not evil.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 36:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 36:1-12 - God The Fountain Of Life
The servant of the Lord, as the superscription tells us, is speaking here. He is horror-stricken at the ways and thoughts of the ungodly. By a bold image, Psalms 36:1, r.v., margin; Transgression is personified as speaking in the heart of the ungodly, as the Delphic oracle in her dark cave; and the answer from that secret oracle is full of smooth but beguiling words. So our first parents found it.
What a blessed thing it is to turn from man to God! Notice God's attributes as here enumerated: "thy lovingkindness" (r.v.), "thy faithfulness," "thy righteousness," "thy judgments." The golden bracelet begins and ends with love. All nature speaks, to the heart that loves, of the love of God. But they who fly to God find Him even better than nature can proclaim. He is better than banquets for hungry men. Let His life arise in thee as a fountain, and ask for the illumination of His light. Serenely sheltered under the wing, or in the house, of God, the soul may look out, unmoved, on "the wrecks of matter, and the crush of worlds." [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 36

1  The grievous state of the wicked
8  The excellence of God's mercy
10  David prays for favor to God's children

What do the individual words in Psalms 36:4 mean?

Wickedness He devises on his bed He sets himself in a way [that is] not good evil not He does abhor
אָ֤וֶן ׀ יַחְשֹׁ֗ב עַֽל־ מִשְׁכָּ֫ב֥וֹ יִ֭תְיַצֵּב עַל־ דֶּ֣רֶךְ לֹא־ ט֑וֹב רָ֝֗ע לֹ֣א יִמְאָֽס

אָ֤וֶן ׀  Wickedness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָוֶן 
Sense: trouble, wickedness, sorrow.
יַחְשֹׁ֗ב  He  devises 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
מִשְׁכָּ֫ב֥וֹ  his  bed 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁכָּב  
Sense: a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying.
יִ֭תְיַצֵּב  He  sets  himself 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָצַב 
Sense: to place, set, stand, set or station oneself, present oneself.
דֶּ֣רֶךְ  a  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
לֹא־  [that  is]  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
ט֑וֹב  good 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
רָ֝֗ע  evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
יִמְאָֽס  He  does  abhor 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָאַס 
Sense: to reject, despise, refuse.