Psalms 36:4
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
He devises mischief on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he abhors not evil.
American King James Version (AKJV)
He devises mischief on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he abhors not evil.
American Standard Version (ASV)
He deviseth iniquity upon his bed; He setteth himself in a way that is not good; He abhorreth not evil.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
He gives thought to evil on his bed; he takes a way which is not good; he is not a hater of evil.
Webster's Revision
He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
World English Bible
He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn't abhor evil.
English Revised Version (ERV)
He deviseth iniquity upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
Clarke's Psalms 36:4 Bible Commentary
He deviseth mischief upon his bed - He seeks the silent and undisturbed watches of the night, in order to fix his plans of wickedness.
He setteth himself - Having laid his plans he fixes his purpose to do what is bad; and he does it without any checks of conscience or abhorrence of evil. He is bent only on mischief, and lost to all sense of God and goodness. A finished character of a perfect sinner.
Barnes's Psalms 36:4 Bible Commentary
He deviseth mischief upon his bed - Margin, as in Hebrew: "vanity." That is, when he lies down; when he is wakeful at night; he plots some scheme of iniquity - some vain, wicked enterprise. So in Proverbs 4:16, "For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall."
He setteth himself - That is, he takes his stand or his position; he assumes this attitude. See Psalm 2:2, "The kings of the earth "set themselves,"" where the same word occurs. The meaning is that what is done by him is the result of a calm and deliberate purpose. It is not the effect of passion or temporary excitement, but it is a deliberate act in which the mind is made up to do the thing. The conduct here referred to is thus distinguished from rash and hasty acts, showing that this is the settled character of the man.
In a way that is not good - In a bad or wicked way; in a way in which no good can be found; in conduct which allows of no redeeming or mitigating circumstances, and for which there can be no apology.
He abhorreth not evil - He has no aversion to evil. He is not in any manner deterred from doing anything because it is wrong. The fact that it is sinful is not allowed to be a consideration affecting his mind in determining what he shall do. In other words, the moral quality of an action does not influence him at all in making up his mind as to how he shall act. If it is right, it is by accident, and not because he prefers the right; if it is wrong, that fact does not in any way hinder him from carrying his purpose into execution. This is, of course, the very essence of depravity.
Wesley's Psalms 36:4 Bible Commentary
36:4 Deviseth - Freely, from his own inclination, when none are present to provoke him to it.
