How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
Psalm 36:7 stands in glorious contrast to the wicked man described at the beginning of the psalm. He has no fear of God before his eyes, flatters himself, speaks iniquity and deceit, abandons wisdom, devises mischief, and does not abhor evil (vv.1-4). David then lifts his eyes from man’s corruption to God’s mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgments (vv.5-6). Verse 7 is praise spoken to God, flowing from that comparison. Human wickedness is vile, but God’s lovingkindness is excellent. Therefore, men have reason to flee from themselves and find refuge beneath the protection of God.
“How excellent.” David does not speak coldly of God’s lovingkindness. He admires it. “How excellent” is an exclamation of value, greatness, and worth. Men call many things excellent because they are rare, costly, useful, or skillful; David reserves this praise for the lovingkindness of God. Nothing in the wicked man of verses 1-4 deserves such admiration. God is the opposite. His mercy is not defective, mixed, selfish, unstable, or temporary. “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven” (Psalm 148:13).
“Is thy lovingkindness.” Lovingkindness joins affection with action. It is not bare sentiment. God’s lovingkindness shows itself in mercy, preservation, protection, provision, patience, and faithful favor. David had already said, “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds” (v.5). Verse 7 takes that vast mercy and brings it near to needy men. What fills the heavens becomes a refuge under which men may hide.
Scripture often celebrates this attribute. “Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee” (Psalm 63:3). Life is precious, yet David says God’s lovingkindness is better. Life without God may become misery; His favor gives life its highest good. The saint therefore should value God’s lovingkindness above health, wealth, reputation, length of days, or earthly comfort.
God’s lovingkindness is especially excellent because men do not deserve it. The opening verses have not presented mankind as naturally attractive to God. The wicked man has no fear of God before his eyes, flatters himself, speaks deceit, and chooses evil (vv.1-4). Mercy is mercy because the needy cannot claim it as wages. God’s goodness rises far above the worthiness of its recipients, yet His kindness is never agreement with sin; the same psalm describes wickedness without softening it and prays against the foot of pride (v.11).
“O God!” David directs the praise to God Himself. This is worship, not cold discussion. He does not say only that lovingkindness is excellent; he says, “thy lovingkindness, O God!” The possessive pronoun matters. This kindness belongs to God and flows from His character. David is not celebrating how valuable men are. He is celebrating how excellent God is toward them. The wonder is not that man deserves refuge, but that God provides it.
“Therefore.” This word gives the consequence. Because God’s lovingkindness is excellent, men have reason to trust Him. David moves from doctrine to response. Knowledge of God’s character should produce action. Trust rests on what God has revealed about Himself, not on changing feelings. David does not say men trust because circumstances are easy. The wicked still exist, and danger still exists. They trust because God’s lovingkindness is excellent.
“The children of men.” The phrase describes men in their ordinary human condition, frail creatures born into a world of danger, sin, sorrow, and death. “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). David speaks of those children of men who actually take refuge in God, for he prays, “O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart” (v.10). Ruth, a Moabitess, was blessed as one under whose wings she was come to trust (Ruth 2:12).
“Put their trust.” Trust is active reliance. Men place themselves under the care of God because they judge Him worthy of confidence. Scripture condemns the opposite: “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:5). Human helpers may fail through weakness, death, ignorance, fear, or betrayal. God’s lovingkindness does not fail through any of these causes.
Trust also means leaving self-protection as the final refuge. Prudence, work, savings, friends, medicine, government, and other lawful means may all have their place, but none deserves the confidence due to God. David does not say the children of men trust in the wings and in themselves equally. They put their trust under His shadow.
“Under the shadow of thy wings.” David uses a figure Scripture itself uses for protection, nearness, and refuge. He prayed elsewhere to be hidden under the shadow of God’s wings (Psalm 17:8), and resolved to make his refuge in that shadow until calamities were overpast (Psalm 57:1). The figure does not teach that God has a bodily form; it teaches protection in language suited to men. A shadow is near, and wings cover. The safest place is not distance from God with occasional requests for help, but refuge consciously taken beneath His care.
Jesus Christ is the refuge of His people in the fullest sense. Of His sheep He said, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). The lovingkindness David admired under the shadow of God’s wings is secured to the saints in Christ. Those who have found refuge in Him are not left to hold themselves under His protection; His hand holds them.
Do not admire God’s lovingkindness in words while trusting finally in yourself. “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him” (Nahum 1:7). Value His lovingkindness above every earthly security, put your trust beneath His protection, and remain near the God whose mercy makes Him the safest refuge of the children of men.
How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
Psalm 36:7 stands in glorious contrast to the wicked man described at the beginning of the psalm. He has no fear of God before his eyes, flatters himself, speaks iniquity and deceit, abandons wisdom, devises mischief, and does not abhor evil (vv.1-4). David then lifts his eyes from man’s corruption to God’s mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgments (vv.5-6). Verse 7 is praise spoken to God, flowing from that comparison. Human wickedness is vile, but God’s lovingkindness is excellent. Therefore, men have reason to flee from themselves and find refuge beneath the protection of God.
“How excellent.” David does not speak coldly of God’s lovingkindness. He admires it. “How excellent” is an exclamation of value, greatness, and worth. Men call many things excellent because they are rare, costly, useful, or skillful; David reserves this praise for the lovingkindness of God. Nothing in the wicked man of verses 1-4 deserves such admiration. God is the opposite. His mercy is not defective, mixed, selfish, unstable, or temporary. “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven” (Psalm 148:13).
“Is thy lovingkindness.” Lovingkindness joins affection with action. It is not bare sentiment. God’s lovingkindness shows itself in mercy, preservation, protection, provision, patience, and faithful favor. David had already said, “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds” (v.5). Verse 7 takes that vast mercy and brings it near to needy men. What fills the heavens becomes a refuge under which men may hide.
Scripture often celebrates this attribute. “Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee” (Psalm 63:3). Life is precious, yet David says God’s lovingkindness is better. Life without God may become misery; His favor gives life its highest good. The saint therefore should value God’s lovingkindness above health, wealth, reputation, length of days, or earthly comfort.
God’s lovingkindness is especially excellent because men do not deserve it. The opening verses have not presented mankind as naturally attractive to God. The wicked man has no fear of God before his eyes, flatters himself, speaks deceit, and chooses evil (vv.1-4). Mercy is mercy because the needy cannot claim it as wages. God’s goodness rises far above the worthiness of its recipients, yet His kindness is never agreement with sin; the same psalm describes wickedness without softening it and prays against the foot of pride (v.11).
“O God!” David directs the praise to God Himself. This is worship, not cold discussion. He does not say only that lovingkindness is excellent; he says, “thy lovingkindness, O God!” The possessive pronoun matters. This kindness belongs to God and flows from His character. David is not celebrating how valuable men are. He is celebrating how excellent God is toward them. The wonder is not that man deserves refuge, but that God provides it.
“Therefore.” This word gives the consequence. Because God’s lovingkindness is excellent, men have reason to trust Him. David moves from doctrine to response. Knowledge of God’s character should produce action. Trust rests on what God has revealed about Himself, not on changing feelings. David does not say men trust because circumstances are easy. The wicked still exist, and danger still exists. They trust because God’s lovingkindness is excellent.
“The children of men.” The phrase describes men in their ordinary human condition, frail creatures born into a world of danger, sin, sorrow, and death. “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). David speaks of those children of men who actually take refuge in God, for he prays, “O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart” (v.10). Ruth, a Moabitess, was blessed as one under whose wings she was come to trust (Ruth 2:12).
“Put their trust.” Trust is active reliance. Men place themselves under the care of God because they judge Him worthy of confidence. Scripture condemns the opposite: “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:5). Human helpers may fail through weakness, death, ignorance, fear, or betrayal. God’s lovingkindness does not fail through any of these causes.
Trust also means leaving self-protection as the final refuge. Prudence, work, savings, friends, medicine, government, and other lawful means may all have their place, but none deserves the confidence due to God. David does not say the children of men trust in the wings and in themselves equally. They put their trust under His shadow.
“Under the shadow of thy wings.” David uses a figure Scripture itself uses for protection, nearness, and refuge. He prayed elsewhere to be hidden under the shadow of God’s wings (Psalm 17:8), and resolved to make his refuge in that shadow until calamities were overpast (Psalm 57:1). The figure does not teach that God has a bodily form; it teaches protection in language suited to men. A shadow is near, and wings cover. The safest place is not distance from God with occasional requests for help, but refuge consciously taken beneath His care.
Jesus Christ is the refuge of His people in the fullest sense. Of His sheep He said, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). The lovingkindness David admired under the shadow of God’s wings is secured to the saints in Christ. Those who have found refuge in Him are not left to hold themselves under His protection; His hand holds them.
Do not admire God’s lovingkindness in words while trusting finally in yourself. “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him” (Nahum 1:7). Value His lovingkindness above every earthly security, put your trust beneath His protection, and remain near the God whose mercy makes Him the safest refuge of the children of men.