Psalms — Chapter 11
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1For the choirmaster. Of David. In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain!
2For behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
3If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
4The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.
5The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked; His soul hates the lover of violence.
6On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur; a scorching wind will be their portion.
7For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice. The upright will see His face.
1In the LORD put I my trust: How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
2For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
3If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
4The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
5The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
6Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
7For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.
1In Jehovah do I take refuge: How say ye to my soul, Flee [as] a bird to your mountain;
2For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string, That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart;
3If the foundations be destroyed, What can the righteous do?
4Jehovah is in his holy temple; Jehovah, his throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
5Jehovah trieth the righteous; But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
6Upon the wicked he will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7For Jehovah is righteous; he loveth righteousness: The upright shall behold his face. Psalm 12 For the Chief Musician; set to the Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
1For the music director, by David. In the Lord I have taken shelter. How can you say to me, “Flee to a mountain like a bird.
2For look, the wicked prepare their bows, they put their arrows on the strings, to shoot in the darkness at the morally upright.
3When the foundations are destroyed, what can the godly accomplish?”
4The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; his eyes examine all people.
5The Lord approves of the godly, but he hates the wicked and those who love to do violence.
6May he rain down burning coals and brimstone on the wicked! A whirlwind is what they deserve.
7Certainly the Lord is just; he rewards godly deeds. The upright will experience his favor.
1In Yahweh, I take refuge. How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain!”
2For, behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
3If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
4Yahweh is in his holy temple. Yahweh is on his throne in heaven. His eyes observe. His eyes examine the children of men.
5Yahweh examines the righteous, but the wicked and him who loves violence his soul hates.
6On the wicked he will rain blazing coals; fire, sulfur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7For Yahweh is righteous. He loves righteousness. The upright shall see his face.
Summary
A psalm of trust in the face of pressure to flee danger. Advisers urge David to escape like a bird to the mountains because the wicked are preparing to attack the upright in secret (vv. 1-3), but he refuses, recalling that the LORD is enthroned in his holy temple, watching and testing all of humanity (vv. 3-4). God tests both the righteous and the wicked and hates those who love violence, promising to rain fiery judgment on the wicked as their portion (vv. 5-6). The psalm closes with the assurance that the LORD is righteous, loves righteous deeds, and that the upright will see his face (v. 7).
Authorship & Background
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Verse-by-verse commentary on this chapter, written for the everyday reader and freely available online.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of Psalms -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Refusing Fear-Based Advice (v.1) — When counseled to flee like a bird, David chooses trust in the LORD instead of retreat. When fear urges you to abandon your post, do you test that counsel against your trust in God?
- Looking Up When Foundations Shake (v.3) — Facing the question of what the righteous can do when society's foundations crumble, David's answer is to remember God's unshaken throne. When your circumstances feel unstable, where do you direct your attention?
- Testing That Refines, Not Punishes (v.5) — God tests the righteous in the same way He examines the wicked, but with the purpose of refining rather than destroying. Can you distinguish between a season of God's refining and a fear that He is punishing you?
- The Ultimate Reward Is God's Presence (v.7) — David ends not with a request for comfort or vindication but with the promise that the upright will see God's face. Is beholding God Himself the reward you are ultimately seeking, above easier circumstances?