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Psalm 11

Faith, Not Flight

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For the choir director. By David.

The Fear of the Fainthearted

In the Lord I take refuge.
How can you say to my soul:
“Flee to your mountain like a bird.
Look! The wicked bend their bow.
They set their arrow against the string
    to shoot in the darkness at the upright in heart.
When the foundations are being torn down,
    what can the righteous do?”

David’s Answer

The Lord is in his holy temple.
The Lord is on his throne in heaven.
His eyes observe.
He focuses on[a] the children of Adam.[b]
The Lord is righteous.
He examines the wicked.
He really hates[c] those who love violence.
On the wicked he will rain down fiery coals and sulfur.[d]
A scorching wind will be the cup given to them.
Indeed, the Lord is righteous. He loves righteousness.
The upright will view his face.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 11:4 Literally his eyelids test
  2. Psalm 11:4 Or sons of man, that is, all mankind
  3. Psalm 11:5 Literally his soul hates
  4. Psalm 11:6 The Hebrew text reads snares, fire, and sulfur. The translation follows one Greek version, which inverts two letters in one Hebrew word, changing snares to fiery coals.

Psalm 11

For the director of music. Of David.

In the Lord I take refuge.(A)
    How then can you say to me:
    “Flee(B) like a bird to your mountain.(C)
For look, the wicked bend their bows;(D)
    they set their arrows(E) against the strings
to shoot from the shadows(F)
    at the upright in heart.(G)
When the foundations(H) are being destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”

The Lord is in his holy temple;(I)
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.(J)
He observes everyone on earth;(K)
    his eyes examine(L) them.
The Lord examines the righteous,(M)
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion.(N)
On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulfur;(O)
    a scorching wind(P) will be their lot.

For the Lord is righteous,(Q)
    he loves justice;(R)
    the upright(S) will see his face.(T)

11 In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.