Psalm 36 5

Psalm 36:5 kjv

Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

Psalm 36:5 nkjv

Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Psalm 36:5 niv

Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

Psalm 36:5 esv

Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

Psalm 36:5 nlt

Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

Psalm 36 verses

Psalm 36 5 Meaning

Psalm 36:5 proclaims the boundless and immeasurable nature of God's core attributes: His loyal love and His unwavering faithfulness. It declares that His steadfast love reaches the highest heavens, and His reliability extends to the very clouds, signifying a love and truthfulness that transcend all human limitation and measurement, encompassing all of creation and existing without end. This verse forms a powerful contrast to the iniquity described earlier in the psalm, establishing God's immense goodness as the ultimate source of life, light, and salvation.

Psalm 36 5 Context

Psalm 36 presents a profound contrast between the perversity of human sin and the perfect character of God. Verses 1-4 meticulously detail the wickedness of the ungodly: their self-deception, lack of reverence for God, and their evil actions conceived in their hearts. Following this bleak depiction, Psalm 36:5 introduces a dramatic shift. It opens a new stanza, focusing entirely on the divine. This verse does not just present God as different, but as utterly supreme, with attributes so vast they dwarfs human iniquity and folly. Historically, in ancient Near Eastern religions, deities were often capricious, tribal, or limited in power and reach, tied to specific lands or phenomena. Psalm 36:5 stands as a polemic against such limited views, unequivocally presenting Yahweh as a transcendent, universally faithful, and loving God whose attributes extend beyond all earthly boundaries, providing the foundational hope and security against the pervasive darkness of human sin.

Psalm 36 5 Word analysis

• Your steadfast love (חַסְדְּךָ֙ - ḥasdekā):

  • Hesed (חֶסֶד) is a profound theological term. It signifies loyal love, covenant faithfulness, steadfast affection, and unfailing kindness.
  • It's not mere emotion but a strong, active, and enduring commitment rooted in relationship.
  • It speaks of God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant and His promises.
  • This is a cornerstone attribute of God's character, frequently appearing alongside truth or faithfulness.

• O LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH):

  • The sacred, covenant name of God, revealed to Moses (Exod 3:14).
  • It signifies His self-existent, eternal, and personal nature.
  • Its use here emphasizes that it is this particular, personal God, Yahweh, who possesses such infinite love and faithfulness, not just any deity.

• extends to the heavens (עַד־שָׁמָ֑יִם - ʿad-šāmāyim):

  • ʿAd (עַד) means "to," "until," or "as far as."
  • Shāmāyim (שָׁמַיִם) refers to the sky, the firmament, the abode of celestial bodies, or metaphorically, the highest possible point.
  • This phrase indicates immeasurable vastness and transcendence, not a literal boundary. It conveys the idea that God's love knows no bounds.
  • It's a poetic hyperbole emphasizing infinity, suggesting His love is higher and more pervasive than anything we can see or imagine.

• your faithfulness (אֱמוּנָתְךָ֖ - ʾemūnāteḵā):

  • Emunah (אֱמוּנָה) derives from the same root as "Amen," meaning "firmness," "stability," "trustworthiness," "truthfulness."
  • It describes God's unwavering reliability. What He promises, He performs; who He is, He remains.
  • God's emunah means He is completely dependable, consistent, and true to His nature and word.

• to the clouds (עַד־שְׁחָקִֽים - ʿad-šəḥāqîm):

  • ʿAd (עַד) again signifies reaching to a limit.
  • Šəḥāqîm (שְׁחָקִים) means "clouds" or "skies" (specifically, the clouds as the upper atmospheric region).
  • This term functions in parallelism with "heavens," further amplifying the concept of boundless height and vastness.
  • It conveys the idea of attributes so expansive they reach beyond human sight, illustrating their infinitude.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.": This verse employs a powerful literary device known as synonymous parallelism. Two distinct yet complementary attributes of God (steadfast love, faithfulness) are presented, each linked to an expression of boundless spatial reach (heavens, clouds). This reinforces the core message of God's infinite character. The combined imagery paints a picture of comprehensive divine benevolence that covers all existence. It demonstrates that God's hesed is matched by His emunah, making His love not only deep but also reliable and constant.

Psalm 36 5 Bonus section

• The placement of this verse immediately after the description of the wicked's utter disregard for God (vv. 1-4) magnifies God's grandeur. His attributes are not diminished by human sin; rather, they stand as the ultimate solution and contrast.
• This verse underpins the concept of God's ultimate reliability. It offers profound comfort and security, affirming that those who seek refuge in Him find it in a being of infinite and unwavering kindness and truth.
• The "heavens" and "clouds" also hint at God's omnipotence and omnipresence, as His attributes pervade and govern all creation, being higher than creation itself.
• The parallelism implicitly shows that God's love is not a fickle emotion but a constant commitment rooted in His unchangeable nature, making it utterly trustworthy.

Psalm 36 5 Commentary

Psalm 36:5 serves as the turning point of the psalm, pivoting from human depravity to divine perfection. It presents God not merely as good, but as supremely good, a being whose essential qualities of ḥesed (covenant loyalty, unwavering love) and ʾemūnāh (truth, faithfulness, reliability) are infinite and cosmic in their reach. The poetic imagery of extending to the "heavens" and "clouds" is not literal measurement, but a declaration of the boundlessness, transcendence, and encompassing nature of God's character. His love is higher than any earthly or even celestial limit; His faithfulness is unshakeable, reaching beyond all human comprehension and cosmic boundaries. This immeasurable greatness of God's love and truth provides the firm foundation for His justice, His life-giving presence, and His righteousness, which are subsequently elaborated in the psalm. It is a source of profound assurance, affirming that amidst a world filled with sin and unfaithfulness, God alone is utterly trustworthy and unfailingly good.