Psalm 11

Refuge in the Lord

For the choir director. Of David.

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 sulfur 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

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.

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.”