Psalms 36:3 · Bible study
Psalms 36:3 Commentary: Did the Wicked Once Fear God?
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does Psalm 36:3 imply the wicked were once wise? Explore the meaning of 'ceased to be wise and do good' in light of historical commentaries.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The wicked person's speech is evil, and he has stopped acting wisely and doing good, possibly indicating a fall from a former state.
- Key words: 'ceased' (Hebrew perfect verb חָדַל) suggests completed action; 'wise' (שׂכל) means practical intelligence for right living.
- Main debate: Did the wicked once fear God and then fall (apostasy), or is this description of natural human sinfulness without prior goodness?
- Theological theme: The radical nature of human sin contrasts with God's unwavering steadfast love and faithfulness (vv.5, 9).
- Best use: A warning against self-deception and gradual moral decline; an invitation to anchor wisdom in the fear of God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and well-doing.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
KJV King James Version 1769
The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: He hath ceased to be wise and to do good.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit, He ceased to act prudently--to do good.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, to do good.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its riches.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Las palabras de su boca son iniquidad y fraude; no quiso entender para bien hacer.
As palavras da boca dele são malícia e falsidade; ele deixou de fazer o que é sábio e bom.
Car il se flatte à ses propres yeux,
Alle ihre Worte sind schädlich und erlogen; sie lassen sich auch nicht weisen, daß sie Gutes täten;
Want hij vleit zichzelven in zijn ogen, als men zijn ongerechtigheid bevindt, die te haten is.
Le parole della sua bocca sono iniquità e frode; egli ha cessato d’esser savio e di fare il bene.
Bo sobie pobłaża w oczach swoich, aby wykonał nieprawość swoję aż do obmierzenia.
Уповай на Господа и делай добро; живи на земле и храни истину.
他口 中的言語 盡是罪孽 詭詐；他與智慧 善行 已經斷絕。
In the words of his mouth are evil and deceit; he has given up being wise and doing good.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Psalm 36:3 paints a stark portrait of the wicked: their speech overflows with iniquity and deceit, and they have stopped acting wisely or doing good. The Cambridge Bible notes the phrase 'ceased to be wise' uses a Hebrew term (שׂכל) that implies practical intelligence for right conduct, the opposite of the wisdom God calls for. Barnes and Calvin read the verse as describing someone who has cut off all connection with righteousness, while Matthew Henry sees a root cause in the lack of fear of God (v.1). The deeper question, whether this describes a fall from a former state of wisdom (apostasy) or simply the natural condition of the ungodly, divides the commentators. Gill and Wesley lean toward apostasy, noting that the verb 'left off' suggests a prior state of doing good. Others, like the Cambridge Bible, treat the phrase as a description of completed moral failure. All agree on the end result: the wicked person's words and actions reveal a heart that has wholly abandoned wisdom and goodness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Apostasy interpretation: The verb 'ceased' implies a prior state of wisdom/goodness; cross-references to Saul's fall (1 Sam 11–16) show a man who was once Spirit-led and then rejected.
- Total corruption interpretation: The phrase may simply describe the natural state of the wicked from the start; the perfect tense 'ceased' indicates nothing about history, only the completeness of the present failure.
What is clear: The wicked person's words are iniquity and deceit, and they have no present inclination or capacity for wisdom or goodness.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Original condition of the wicked | All agree that the wicked are currently in a state of moral corruption and speech that is iniquitous and deceitful. | Some commentators (Barnes, Gill, Wesley) see 'ceased to be wise' as implying a prior state of wisdom and goodness that was lost. Others (Cambridge Bible, Calvin) treat it as a vivid description of total depravity, without necessarily assuming a former spiritual state. |
| Historical referent of the psalm | Most connect the psalm to David's experience with enemies, possibly Saul (Barnes) or generic wicked opponents. | Some (Calvin) see a general didactic purpose about the nature of the wicked, while others (Matthew Henry) keep the identity open between persecutors and stubborn sinners. |
| Meaning of 'ceased' (חָדַל) | The verb indicates a decisive end to wise and good behavior. | Barnes reads it as a change: 'he was not what he once professed to be.' Gill suggests the person had been enlightened and then apostatized. Other commentators do not emphasize the change but the complete present failure. |
| Theological function of the verse | The verse serves to highlight the contrast between human sinfulness and God's steadfast love (vv.5, 9). | Calvin and Lange see the psalm as primarily teaching about divine mercy amidst human rebellion; Matthew Henry emphasizes the root of sin as lack of fear of God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 36 is attributed to David, titled 'the servant of Yahweh.' Calvin suggests David wrote it while harassed by wicked men, possibly during Saul's persecution. The psalm's structure moves from the wicked (vv.1, 4) to a hymn of praise for God's steadfast love (vv.5, 9), then a prayer for deliverance (vv.10, 12). Verse 3 sits within a cluster that describes the complete moral failure of those who lack 'the fear of God before his eyes' (v.1). In the ancient Near East, kings like David were expected to embody wisdom and justice. The description here is the opposite: the wicked person's speech is deceptive, and he has 'ceased to be wise and to do good.' The Hebrew word for 'wise' (שׂכל) often carries the sense of acting prudently or successfully, especially in ethical conduct. The grammar of the verb 'ceased' (חָדַל) is a perfect tense, indicating completed action. Many commentators link this to a specific figure. Barnes suggests Saul as a possible referent: Saul once obeyed God (1 Samuel 11), but his jealousy and disobedience led God's Spirit to depart (1 Samuel 16:14). Saul then plotted against David (1 Samuel 18, 19), speaking lies and acting deceitfully. The cross-references to Saul's tragic arc provide a plausible real-world anchor for the psalmist's lament. The contrast with God's faithfulness in verses 5, 9 is deliberate: where the wicked fail, God’s loving kindness reaches the heavens.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 36:3. The Hebrew text is consistent across traditions, with differences only in translation (e.g., 'iniquity' vs 'wickedness'; 'left off' vs 'ceased').
Reception History
The verse has been understood across traditions as a warning against hypocrisy and moral decline. Early Christian writers, including Augustine, read it as describing the sinner's progression from self-flattery to open evil. Protestant Reformation commentators like Calvin and Luther emphasized the contrast between the wicked's dependence on self and the believer's hope in God's mercy. In the Wesleyan tradition, the phrase 'left off to be wise' was a key text for teaching about backsliding and the danger of falling from grace. The verse also appears in hymns that warn against trusting in one's own wisdom. Catholic tradition has used it in penitential contexts to examine conscience. The consensus has been consistent: the wicked person's speech and actions betray a heart that has turned from the source of all wisdom.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Words reveal the heart. The wicked speak iniquity and deceit, showing that their inner life is corrupted (v.3a; Matthew Henry). The tongue is the channel for the ungodly heart.
- Wisdom is not natural; it must be sustained. The phrase 'ceased to be wise' implies that human beings were made for wisdom and goodness, but these are lost when fear of God is abandoned.
- Grace is the only remedy. The next verses (5, 9) pivot to God's mercy, faithfulness and righteousness, the only sure foundation for lasting wisdom (Calvin).
Five-point outline
- Source of sin: no fear of God (v.1).
- Self-deception: flattery in one's own eyes (v.2).
- Outward speech: words of iniquity and deceit (v.3a).
- Inward failure: ceasing to be wise and do good (v.3b).
- Active rebellion: plotting evil and refusing to reject evil (v.4).
Illustration hooks
- The friend who once attended church but now dismisses faith as foolishness, a quiet drift from wisdom to cynicism.
- The public figure whose speech shifts from promoting justice to spreading lies when personal power is threatened.
- The online comments section where deception and cruelty flow out of anonymity, reflecting a heart that has 'left off' good.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Can someone who once seemed genuinely faithful really fall into such corruption?
- How do I guard against the gradual loss of wisdom and goodness in my own life?
- What practical steps can I take to keep fear of God alive in my heart?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 36:3 confronts us with the reality that human wickedness is not static, it can progress from subtle self-deception to open evil speech and abandoned virtue. The group's task is to examine this progression and to seek God's grace for faithfulness.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 36:1, 4. How does the psalmist trace the path from inner corruption to outward action?
- Verse 3 says the wicked have 'ceased to be wise and to do good.' Does this imply they were once wise and good? Why or why not? (Consider 1 Samuel 11:13 and 16:14.)
- What does the phrase 'words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit' tell us about the connection between speech and character?
- In what ways can a Christian 'leave off' wisdom without noticing? How do we stay vigilant?
- How does the contrast with God's steadfast love in verses 5, 9 change the way you read verse 3?
- Share a time when you saw someone's words shift from truthful to deceptive, what were the warning signs?
- Based on this verse, what would you say to someone drifting from faith?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 11:6 | God’s Spirit came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger burned hot. |
| I Samuel 11:13 | Saul said, “No man shall be put to death today; for today Yahweh has rescued Israel.” |
| I Samuel 13:13 | Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you; for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom on Israel forever. |
| I Samuel 13:14 | But now your kingdom will not continue. Yahweh has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which Yahweh commanded you.” |
| I Samuel 15:26 | Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected Yahweh’s word, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.” |
| I Samuel 16:14 | Now Yahweh’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him. |
| I Samuel 18:21 | Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall today be my son-in-law.” |
| I Samuel 19:6 | Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, “As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.” |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke sees the wicked as speaking from a settled inner principle of iniquity, their deceit deliberately aimed at misleading others. They have actively chosen to abandon wisdom and goodness, severing every connection between themselves and righteousness.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws attention to a moral decline: the person once appeared wise and good, but his words now are false because they no longer match his heart. This implies a clear change from an earlier, better state, as seen in Saul's shift from friend to enemy of David.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads the psalm differently from most interpreters. He believes David first laments the depravity of the wicked, then seeks refuge in God's abundant goodness that extends in a special way to his own children. For Calvin, this is David's way of strengthening his faith against the assaults of the ungodly.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights that the wicked person inverts the prophetic call to do good, ceasing to practice the kind of wisdom that leads to right conduct. The original word for "be wise" here means the intelligence that produces successful, godly behavior, which this person has deliberately abandoned.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that the wicked person's corruption is total and willful. His speech is marked by iniquity and deception because he has deliberately stopped trying to understand or to do any good at all. The failure is not partial but a complete abandonment of moral discernment and action.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the wicked person here as someone who once professed faith and did good works, but has now abandoned both. The corrupt speech reveals a heart that has turned from divine truth, proving that genuine wisdom and good deeds have ceased entirely.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch personify transgression itself as an oracular voice speaking within the wicked person. Sin addresses flattering words directly to his heart, deceiving him into hating God and others while silencing the fear of God. This inner oracle of iniquity is what alienates a person from God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry traces all wickedness to its root: the absence of the fear of God. He observes that the wicked person's self-flattery, deceitful speech, and deliberate plotting prove he has no awe of God's majesty or dread of His wrath. This lack of holy fear is the foundation of every transgression.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the person once possessed some measure of wisdom, but that is now gone. He has become an open apostate, having completely abandoned his former standing. The shift is total—from having understanding to falling away entirely.