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Psalm 36:2
For he flatters himself in his own eyes, too much to detect and hate his sin.
1For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of the LORD. A revelation is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2For he flatters himself in his own eyes, too much to detect and hate his sin.
3The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
4He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn’t abhor evil.
Notice
Self-flattery can make your own judgment feel safe, even as it keeps you from seeing sin and hating what is wrong.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What distinction do you see between detecting sin and hating it?
Write on thisWhat flattering account of yourself would be hardest to question before God?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Proverbs 21:2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.Both describe a person’s favorable judgment of himself; Proverbs adds that the LORD weighs the heart.
Proverbs 16:2All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the motives.Both expose the limits of being clean or good in your own eyes; Proverbs names the LORD as the one who weighs motives.
Deuteronomy 29:19and it happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, “I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my …Both describe self-reassurance amid sin: the man in Deuteronomy expects peace while persisting in the stubbornness of his heart.
Titus 3:3For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.Both connect deception with disobedience, though Titus describes a former way of life and the psalm describes self-flattery.
Psalm 49:18Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself—Both portray someone speaking well of himself, though Psalm 36 specifies that this self-flattery prevents recognition and hatred of sin.
Romans 7:9I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.Both concern a person’s relation to sin, though Romans describes the commandment’s arrival and Psalm 36 describes self-flattery.
1 Chronicles 10:13–14So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the LORD’s word, which he didn’t keep, and also because he asked counsel of one …Both speak of sin, though Chronicles names Saul’s trespass and death without describing the self-flattery found in the psalm.
Psalm 10:3For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings. He blesses the greedy and condemns the LORD.Both portray the wicked approving what is wrong, through self-flattery in Psalm 36 and boasting about cravings in Psalm 10.
1 Samuel 15:18–24and the LORD sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’Both name sin, though Samuel records a command to destroy the Amalekites, with no mention of self-flattery in the supplied verse.
Proverbs 30:12There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.Both expose the gap between a favorable view of oneself and sin that remains unrecognized or uncleansed.
Isaiah 5:18Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and wickedness as with cart rope,Both connect falsehood with sin: the psalm describes self-flattery, while Isaiah pictures iniquity being drawn with cords of falsehood.
Luke 6:41Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?Both describe failure to recognize one’s own wrong, with Luke contrasting scrutiny of a brother’s speck and neglect of one’s own beam.
Where this verse fits
Guilt and confession. temptation. sermon or Bible study notes.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
In this portrait, self-flattery grows where fear of God is absent. Your own approval cannot make sin harmless or make it cease to be sin.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).