Psalms 11:1-7

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,Confidence in Jehovah Triumphantly Affirmed. Refrain, Psalms 11:7, The Righteous are Sure of Jehovah's Love and Long to Behold his Face.

(Lm.)[93] By David.

[93] Some cod. (w. Sep., Vul.): PsalmGn.

1

In Jehovah have I taken refuge:

how say ye to my soul,[94]

[94] See Intro., Chap. III., Soul.

Flee to a mountain like[95] a bird;

[95] So it should be (w. Aram., Sep., Syr., Vul.)Gn.

2

for lo! the lawless ones are treading the bow,

they have fixed their arrow on the string,

to shoot in darkness at such as are upright in heart:

3

When the buttresses are being torn down,[96]

[96] So Dr.

what can a righteous man do?[97]

[97] Or: what hath a righteous man (ever) done?

4

Jehovah is in his holy temple,

as for Jehovah in the heavens is his throne:
His eyes behold the earth,[98]

[98] The poorSep. and Vul. Br. prefers world (w. Theodotion).

his eyelids try the sons of men:

5

Jehovah trieth a righteous man,

but a lawless man and one who loveth violence his soul hateth:

6

Let him rain on such as are lawless live coals,[99]

[99] So Gt. (peham, instead of pahim, bird traps, snares.) Del. prefers snares=lightnings; for the lightning that flashes from one point of the heavens and darts with a serpentine motion towards another may really be compared to a snare or noose that is thrown down from above.

fire and brimstone and a burning wind are the portion of their cup.

7

For righteous is Jehovah righteous acts he loveth an upright one shall have vision of his face.

(Lm.) To the Chief Musician. (CMm.) For the male choir.

PARAPHRASE

Psalms 11

How dare you tell me, Flee[100] to the mountains for safety, when I am trusting in the Lord?

[100] Literally, Flee as a bird.

2 For the wicked have strung their bows, drawn their arrows tight against the bowstrings, and aimed from ambush at the people of God.
3 Law and order have collapsed,[101] we are told. What can the righteous do but flee?

[101] Literally, If the foundations have been torn down.

4 But the Lord is still in His holy temple; He still rules from heaven. He closely watches everything that happens here on earth.
5 He puts the righteous and the wicked to the test; He hates those loving violence.
6 He will rain down fire and brimstone on the wicked and scorch them with His burning wind.
7 For God is good, and He loves goodness; the godly shall see His face.[102]

[102] Or, His face shines down in mercy and joy upon the good.

EXPOSITION

It will be seen from the analysis that the structure of this psalm is of the simplesta stanza, an antistanza, and a refrain. The first point of advantage, is to notice, that the timid advice beginning, Flee to a mountain, runs on to the end of the stanza: to see this, is to perceive what an evil case the psalmist's advisers consider he is in. He is as helpless as a little bird watched by archers in ambushinstant flight is his only hope of personal safety: and, as for public reasons for remaining at his post, they are gone: further resistance is useless, seeing that the buttresses of public justice and social order are one by one being torn down; and, with no redress available, what has a righteous man ever done under such circumstances or can he now hope to do? Such are the counsels of despair offered by the psalmist's timid friends,counsels which the psalmist's faith in Jehovah emboldens him to reject, with surprise that they should have been offered him.

Of the two sets of circumstances in which such advice might have been tendered to Davidwhile he was at the court of Saul, and when the revolt of Absalom was coming to a headthe former seems the more probable, while his faith was yet undimmed and he was a stranger to distrust and vacillation.
It is well that, thus early, the heavenly temple should be near to the psalmist's faith. Jehovah is in his holy temple above, with his mighty hosts waiting to do his will. With stronger emphasis and greater explicitness, the psalmist repeats, As for Jehovah, in the heavens is his throne. The distance does not obstruct his vision, His eyes behold the earth. He is intently watching the conduct of the lawless men. His eyelidsfixed for steadfast gaze and narrow scrutinytest the quality, course and tendency of the actions of the sons of men. He may delay the deliverance of the righteous man, but he is only putting him to the test; whereas the lawless man he hates with all the intensity of his holy affections. He has judgment in store for all such: like as when he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah! The language may be figurative, but the faith is sublime; and it keeps the persecuted hero at his post. Note also the course of instruction through which the psalm conducts us. The sight of Jehovah's throne in the heavens brings Jehovah himself all-' the nearer to the persecuted believer's extremity. Heaven is equally near to every scene of trial on earth. For the present, indeed we have need to localise Jehovah's presence; and in any case we must not lose hold of his personality. He is a God who hates, who loves; and the more we are assured that it is he who makes us righteous, the more shall we long for the beatific vision of his face.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.

What a grand example of complete reliance on God does David present! Is it ever the will of God to flee to the mountains? Discuss.

2.

When the foundations of Democratic society are being torn down what can the righteous do? Discuss.

3.

In what sense can we say God sees all and knows all? Does what He sees move Him to action?what about God when 6 million Jews were being burned?

4.

Discuss David's areas of life in which this psalm might have application.

5.

When we see Him face to face the dark things will be made plainthe inexplicable circumstances of life will have the easiest of explanations. Discuss a child-parent-teacher-student-relationship in which this is presently trueyou might add scientist-layman.