1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
5 Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
10 O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.
<html><b>The word of the transgression to the wicked man, in the midst of my heart, etc.</b> This is a transposed verse. I feel within my heart that the transgressioni.e., the evil inclinationsays to the wicked man that the fear of God should not be before his eyes. <b>in the midst of my heart</b> Like a person who says, “It seems to me.”</html>
<html><b>For it smoothed</b> The transgression made smooth places appear to his eyes in order that the Holy One, blessed be He, find his iniquity to hate him.</html>
<html><b>he refrained from learning to improve</b> He refrained from contemplating to improve his deeds.</html>
<html><b>he stands on a way that is not good</b> The Holy One, blessed be He, placed before him the good way and the way of death, yet he chooses for himself a way that is not good.</html>
<html><b>O Lord, Your kindness is in the heavens</b> Because of these wicked men, You remove [Your] kindness from the earth creatures and raise up Your faith until the sky to remove it from the sons of men.</html>
<html><b>Your charity</b> is as scarce to the creatures as the mighty mountains because of the deeds of the wicked, and Your judgments come upon the world until the vast deep. Another explanation: <b>Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains</b> The one with whom You wish to deal charitably, You raise up and strengthen like the mighty mountains. אל is an expression of strength, as (in Ezek. 17: 13): “and he has taken away the mighty of (אילי) the land.” <b>Your judgments are the vast deep</b> Whomever You wish to judge, and wreak vengeance upon, You humble him to the vast deep. <b>Your judgments</b> Heb. משפטיך, joustiza in Old French, justice. <b>You save both man and beast</b> People who are as astute as Adam, but who make themselves as humble as beasts, You save, O Lord.</html>
<html><b>How precious is Your kindness</b> It is not fitting that it be extended to these wicked, but the children of men who take refuge in the shadow of Your wingsthey will be sated from the fat of Your house, etc.</html>
<html><b>Let the foot of haughtiness not come with me</b> Let the foot of these wicked men not come with me at the time of the reception of reward, [because] their lot should [not] be with the righteous. <b>neither shall the hand of the wicked cause me to wander</b> from my place when I return to inherit a double [portion]: my portion and the portion of the wicked man, in the goodness, as the matter that is stated (in Isa. 61:7): “Therefore, in their land they shall inherit twofold.” And then…</html>
<html><b>There the workers of iniquity have fallen</b> There they will understand their downfall, and there they were thrust away and were unable to rise.</html>