This psalm warns that evil words and deeds follow when the fear of the Lord disappears.
“The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good.” (v.3)
Psalm 36:3 describes the tragic deterioration that occurs when someone abandons the fear of the Lord and allows sin to dominate their thoughts and actions. By stating, The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good (v.3), the psalm reveals that evil is not merely an internal condition, but flows outward through corrupt speech. When a person’s guiding principle is no longer reverence for God, their words and conduct transform from wisdom to deception and wrongdoing, mirroring the broader context of Psalm 36:1-4, which sketches the destructive path of the wicked.In this verse, we see a complete reversal from living righteously to engaging in harmful speech that leads others astray. The choice of words like wickedness and deceit underscores the deliberate nature of this sin, conveying that lies, cunning, and harm become accepted tools in day-to-day life. The psalmist emphasizes this progression to warn us that ignoring God’s wisdom affects not only our private thoughts, but also invades our public interactions. When an individual “ceases to be wise,” they abandon the humility needed to seek God’s counsel, and instead rely on their own short-sighted instincts.This verse reminds us that speech is powerful; it reflects the heart’s condition. Kept unchecked, evil intentions eclipse any desire to follow the Lord’s ways, eventually silencing goodness altogether. It is a sobering invitation to continually reverence God, so that our words reflect wisdom instead of wickedness, and truth instead of deceit. This verse highlights the serious implications of neglecting the fear of God—words become tainted, wisdom vanishes, and we are left in spiritual poverty.
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Psalms 36:3 meaning
“The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good.” (v.3)
Psalm 36:3 describes the tragic deterioration that occurs when someone abandons the fear of the Lord and allows sin to dominate their thoughts and actions. By stating, The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good (v.3), the psalm reveals that evil is not merely an internal condition, but flows outward through corrupt speech. When a person’s guiding principle is no longer reverence for God, their words and conduct transform from wisdom to deception and wrongdoing, mirroring the broader context of Psalm 36:1-4, which sketches the destructive path of the wicked.In this verse, we see a complete reversal from living righteously to engaging in harmful speech that leads others astray. The choice of words like wickedness and deceit underscores the deliberate nature of this sin, conveying that lies, cunning, and harm become accepted tools in day-to-day life. The psalmist emphasizes this progression to warn us that ignoring God’s wisdom affects not only our private thoughts, but also invades our public interactions. When an individual “ceases to be wise,” they abandon the humility needed to seek God’s counsel, and instead rely on their own short-sighted instincts.This verse reminds us that speech is powerful; it reflects the heart’s condition. Kept unchecked, evil intentions eclipse any desire to follow the Lord’s ways, eventually silencing goodness altogether. It is a sobering invitation to continually reverence God, so that our words reflect wisdom instead of wickedness, and truth instead of deceit. This verse highlights the serious implications of neglecting the fear of God—words become tainted, wisdom vanishes, and we are left in spiritual poverty.