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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Psalms 11:3

If the foundations be destroyed, the laws and ordinances of public justice were rudely overthrown, what can the righteous do? In such an event the outlook evidently is hopeless for those who loved law and order, and therefore David should seek safety in flight. But he felt differently about it.

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See also Psalms 11:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 11:3. _IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED_] If Saul, who is the vicegerent of God, has cast aside his fear, and now regards neither truth nor justice, a righteous man has no security for hi...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED - These are still to be regarded as the words of the psalmist’s advisers; or as an argument why he should make his escape. The word “foundations,” here, refers to those...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 11 __ 1. Faith's resources in the day of trouble (Psalms 11:1) 2. The recompense for the righteous and the wicked (Psalms 11:5) Psal

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XI. YAHWEH THE SURE REFUGE. Psalms 11:1. The problem stated. The wicked are bold: the righteous cannot meet their attack. They can but flee like a little bird (the habitual meaning of the word transla...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THE FOUNDATIONS: _hashshathoth =_ settled order of truth or institutions; not the roof or walls. THE. a. DO. Not say or think, but lawfully and effectually "do"....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED, &C.— _When the foundations are pulled up, what hath the righteous man to expect? i.e. What is the work or reward of the righteous man?_ What has he to do or expect, wh...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 11 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Faith's Brave Answer to the Counsels of Fear. ANALYSIS Stanza, Psalms 11:1-3, Counsels of Despair, with an Expression of Surprise Refused. Antistanza, Psalms 11:4-6,Conf...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED, WHAT CAN THE RIGHTEOUS DO?_ If the foundations be destroyed - rather х_ KIY_ (H3588)], 'For' ... 'are' - i:e., the particular malice of the wicked against the godly...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    of the Messianic hope in Psalms 2, 20, 28,, 40. The following Pss. are either quoted from or distinctly referred to in NT.: 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 14, 16, 18, 22, 24, 32, 34, 40, 41. In several instances the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED] if those in high places disregard the first principles of righteousness. This is an argument of unbelief and cowardice. It is suggested that wickedness may be so succe...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 1:41 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. The notes explain some of the words with a *star by them. Tap the * before a word to show an explanation. The translated Bible tex...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE FOUNDATIONS. — By this word must be understood the principles of morality, which are the foundation of society. Symmachus and Jerome render “laws.” But the rendering “What could the righteous do?”...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    כִּ֣י הַ֭ שָּׁתֹות יֵֽהָרֵס֑וּן צַ֝דִּ֗יק מַה...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 11:1 The correctness of the superscription is, in the present case, defended by Ewald and Hitzig. Delitzsch refers the psalm to the eve of Absalom's conspiracy, while other supporters of the Da...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    GOD OUR REFUGE AND DEFENSE Psalms 11:1; Psalms 12:1 The first of these is a debate between fear and faith, and dates from Saul's persecutions. Timid friends, anxious for David's safety, urged him to...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This psalm is the answer of faith to the advice of fear. Both are alike conscious of immediate peril. Fear sees only the things that are near. Faith takes in the larger distances. If the things fear s...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    If the (b) foundations be destroyed, what can the (c) righteous do? (b) All hope of help is taken away. (c) Yet am I innocent and my cause good....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Deceitful. Hebrew, "flattering;" and of course not fee from deceit. (Berthier) --- "That man I hate, e'en as the gates of hell,_ Who thinks _one thing, and will another tell." (Homer, Iliad I.)_ --...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    There will be, there must be, persecutions. But Jesus is the foundation of his Church, and that standeth sure....

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _FOUNDATIONS_ ‘If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?’ Psalms 11:3 I. LOOK AT TRUE FOUNDATIONS.—(1) God is God, before all things pre-ordaining, revolving within Himself and al...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    3._Truly, the foundations are destroyed. _Some translate the word השתות, _hashathoth, _by _nets, _a sense in which the Scripture in other places often uses this word; and their explanation of the word...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    What the righteous remnant are to do when the power of evil is thus dominant in Emmanuel's land, Psalms 11 treats of. Psalms 11-15, as I have already remarked, give the thoughts and feelings of the re...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED,.... Or, "for the foundations are destroyed" s; all things are out of order and course both in church and state; the laws, which are the foundations of government, are...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Ver. 3. _If the foundations be destroyed_] If all things be turned "topsy turvy" in the state, and no regard had to right or wrong, _Sed vi...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _If the foundations be destroyed_, &c. This also is thought to be spoken by the same persons, discouraging David from making any further resistance, by the consideration that the foundations of religi...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    IF; or, _for_; or, when. THE FOUNDATIONS, i.e. piety, and justice, and fidelity, and mercy, which are the _pillars_ or _foundations_ of a state or kingdom, as they are called, PSALMS 75:2,3 PSALMS 82:...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 11:3 foundations H8356 destroyed H2040 (H8735) righteous H6662 do H6466 (H8804) If the - P

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘For the Chief Musician. Of David.' The psalm is dedicated to the Choirmaster and is of the Davidic collection, of which a large part, if not all, were written by David himself. For his reputation as...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 11:3 I. Look at true foundations. (1) God is God, before all things pre-ordaining, revolving within Himself and all things else, as He pleases, the great foundation given to Moses in the bush ...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 11:3 In the eleventh Psalm we have a description of a faithful heart in time of trial declaring itself resolved to trust on God alone, when some would advise it to fly or to draw back. I. If o...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The doom of the wicked. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: If we get the vision of God on His throne, governing all creatures, rendering to all according to their works, we shall then see...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Psalms 11:1. _Flee as a bird to your mountain,_ the hill country of Judea. When hiding from Saul, and when the wicked bent their bow against him, it was prudent to shun the snares. Psalms 11:3. _If th...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _In the Lord put I my trust._ JEHOVAH THE PROTECTOR AND AVENGER OF THE PERSECUTED SAINT The Psalmist, beset by malicious foes, is warned by some of his adherents to seek refuge in flight. The Psalm i...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?_ CHRISTIAN FIRMNESS IN EVIL TIMES We have here a description of a faithful heart in time of trial declaring itself resolved to trust on Go...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 11:3 The FOUNDATIONS would be either the _people_ who lead Israel (compare the “pillars” of Isaiah 19:10) or the _principles_ of justice upon wh

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 11:1. This psalm describes the confidence that the faithful may have, even in times of severe crisis. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION “The friends of David advise him in this psalm to flee unto the mountainous parts of the land of Judah, in order to avoid the danger which was threatening him, should he remain in the pla...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ASCRIBED to David in the "title," this psalm is almost universally allowed to be his. It "has all the characteristics of the earlier Davidic psalms." No allusion enables us to assign it to...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 11:1-7 is to the chief musician. It is a psalm of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how do you say to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? (Psalms 11:1) My trust is in the Lord. Why should...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Chronicles 32:13; 2 Kings 19:13; 2 Kings 22:12; 2 Timothy 2:19;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Foundations — Piety, justice, fidelity, and mercy, which are the pillars or foundations of a state or kingdom. What — The condition of all righteous men will be desperate....

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