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Refuge in the Lord

For the choir director. Of David.

11 I have taken refuge in the Lord.(A)
How can you say to me,
‘Escape to the mountains[a] like a bird!(B)
For look, the wicked string bows;
they put their arrows on bowstrings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.(C)
When the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do? ’(D)

The Lord is in his holy temple;(E)
the Lord – his throne is in heaven.(F)
His eyes watch;
his gaze[b] examines everyone.[c]
The Lord examines the righteous,
but he hates the wicked
and[d] those who love violence.(G)
Let him rain burning coals[e] and sulphur on the wicked;
let a scorching wind be the portion in their cup.(H)
For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds.
The upright will see his face.(I)

Footnotes

  1. 11:1 Lit your mountain
  2. 11:4 Lit eyelids
  3. 11:4 Or examines the descendants of Adam
  4. 11:5 Or righteous and the wicked, and he hates
  5. 11:6 Sym; MT reads rain snares, fire

To the director: A song of David.

11 I trust in the Lord, so why did you tell me to run and hide?
    Why did you say, “Fly like a bird to your mountain?”

Like hunters, the wicked hide in the dark.
    They get their bows ready and aim their arrows.
    They shoot at good, honest people.
What would good people do
    if the wicked destroyed all that is good?[a]

The Lord is in his holy temple.
    The Lord sits on his throne in heaven.
He sees everything that happens.
    He watches people closely.
The Lord examines those who are good and those who are wicked;
    he hates those who enjoy hurting others.
He will make hot coals and burning sulfur fall like rain on the wicked.
    They will get nothing but a hot, burning wind.
The Lord always does what is right, and he loves seeing people do right.
    Those who live good lives will be with him.[b]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 11:3 Or “What if the foundations of society were really destroyed?”
  2. Psalm 11:7 Those … him Literally, “They will see his face.”

Psalm 11

Song of Trust in God

To the leader. Of David.

In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me,
    “Flee like a bird to the mountains;[a]
for look, the wicked bend the bow,
    they have fitted their arrow to the string,
    to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.
If the foundations are destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”

The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord’s throne is in heaven.
    His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.
The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
    and his soul hates the lover of violence.
On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulfur;
    a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
    the upright shall behold his face.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 11:1 Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb flee to your mountain, O bird

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)