Psalm 36 contrasts the darkness of the sinner, who “hath devised iniquity on his bed,” with the boundless goodness of God: “O Lord, thy mercy is in heaven, and thy truth reacheth, even to the clouds.” It contains one of the most beautiful verses in the Bible: “With thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light we shall see light.” In the Douay-Rheims it is numbered Psalm 35. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.
Psalm 36 in the Douay-Rheims Bible
Unto the end, for the servant of God, David himself.
The unjust hath said within himself, that he would sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes.
For in his sight he hath done deceitfully, that his iniquity may be found unto hatred.
The words of his mouth are iniquity and guile: he would not understand that he might do well.
He hath devised iniquity on his bed, he hath set himself on every way that is not good: but evil he hath not hated.
O Lord, thy mercy is in heaven, and thy truth reacheth, even to the clouds.
Thy justice is as the mountains of God, thy judgments are a great deep. Men and beasts thou wilt preserve, O Lord:
O how hast thou multiplied thy mercy, O God! But the children of men shall put their trust under the covert of thy wings.
They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure.
For with thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light we shall see light.
Extend thy mercy to them that know thee, and thy justice to them that are right in heart.
Let not the foot of pride come to me, and let not the hand of the sinner move me.
There the workers of iniquity are fallen, they are cast out, and could not stand.
Psalm 36 or Psalm 35?
The Douay-Rheims Bible follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint, while most modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 35 is Psalm 36 in the New American Bible and other modern translations. In Latin the psalm begins Dixit iniustus ut delinquat in semetipso. See how many psalms are there?
What the psalm means
- The way of the wicked: sin begins when “there is no fear of God before his eyes.”
- God’s mercy without limit: reaching the heavens and the clouds, deep as the abyss.
- Shelter under his wings: “the children of men shall put their trust under the covert of thy wings.”
- The fountain of life: God is the source of all life; Christians think of the living water of Baptism and the Spirit (John 4:14).
- Light from light: “in thy light we shall see light,” only in God’s light can we truly see.
How the Church uses Psalm 36
- At Morning Prayer (Lauds) on Wednesday of Week I. See Lauds.
- For enlightenment, before study or decisions.
A prayer with Psalm 36
Written for this page:
Lord, your mercy reaches to the heavens and your faithfulness to the clouds.
Shelter me under the shadow of your wings.
Let me drink from the river of your delights, for with you is the fountain of life.
In your light let me see light, today and for ever. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Where is “In your light we see light”?
Psalm 36:10 in modern Bibles (35:10 in the Douay-Rheims: “in thy light we shall see light”).
What is Psalm 36 about?
The contrast between the wickedness of the sinner and the infinite mercy, faithfulness and life-giving light of God.
More psalms and prayers
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 35 (36); John 4:14, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayer was written for this page.