WHERE CAN THE RIGHTEOUS GO?
Key verse: 7
NIV
Psalm 11
For the director of music. Of David.
1 In the Lord I take refuge.(A)
How then can you say to me:
“Flee(B) like a bird to your mountain.(C)
2 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)
3 When the foundations(H) are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
4 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.
5 The Lord examines the righteous,(M)
but the wicked, those who love violence,
he hates with a passion.(N)
6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;(O)
a scorching wind(P) will be their lot.
Cross references
- Psalm 11:1 : S Ps 7:1
- Psalm 11:1 : S Ge 14:10
- Psalm 11:1 : Ps 50:11
- Psalm 11:2 : S 2Sa 22:35
- Psalm 11:2 : S Ps 7:13; S 58:7
- Psalm 11:2 : Ps 10:8
- Psalm 11:2 : S Job 33:3; Ps 7:10
- Psalm 11:3 : Ps 18:15; 82:5; Isa 24:18
- Psalm 11:4 : S 1Ki 8:48; Ps 18:6; 27:4; Jnh 2:7; Mic 1:2; Hab 2:20
- Psalm 11:4 : S 2Ch 6:18; S Ps 9:7; Mt 5:34; 23:22; S Rev 4:2
- Psalm 11:4 : Pr 15:3
- Psalm 11:4 : Ps 33:18; 66:7
- Psalm 11:5 : S Dt 7:13; S Job 23:10
- Psalm 11:5 : S Job 28:28; Ps 5:5; 45:7; Isa 1:14
- Psalm 11:6 : S Ge 19:24; S Rev 9:17
- Psalm 11:6 : S Ge 41:6; S Job 1:19
- Psalm 11:7 : S 2Ch 12:6; S Ezr 9:15; 2Ti 4:8
- Psalm 11:7 : S Ps 9:8; 33:5; 99:4; Isa 28:17; 30:18; 56:1; 61:8; Jer 9:24
- Psalm 11:7 : S Job 1:1; Lk 23:50
- Psalm 11:7 : Ps 17:15; 140:13
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Lord Is in His Holy Temple
To the choirmaster. Of David.11 In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
(A)Flee like a bird to your mountain,
2 for behold, the wicked (B)bend the bow;
(C)they have fitted their arrow to the string
to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
3 if (D)the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?[a]
4 (E)The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord's (F)throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids (G)test the children of man.
5 The Lord (H)tests the righteous,
but (I)his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
6 Let him rain coals on the wicked;
(J)fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be (K)the portion of their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous;
he (L)loves righteous deeds;
(M)the upright shall behold his face.
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Footnotes
- Psalm 11:3 Or for the foundations will be destroyed; what has the righteous done?
Cross references
- Psalm 11:1 : [1 Sam. 23:14, 19; 24:2; 26:19, 20]
- Psalm 11:2 : Ps. 7:12; 64:4; [Jer. 9:3]
- Psalm 11:2 : Ps. 21:12; 58:7; See Ps. 7:10
- Psalm 11:3 : Ps. 82:5; Ezek. 30:4
- Psalm 11:4 : Ps. 18:6; Mic. 1:2; Hab. 2:20
- Psalm 11:4 : Ps. 2:4; Isa. 66:1; Matt. 5:34; 23:22; Acts 7:49
- Psalm 11:4 : See Job 23:10
- Psalm 11:5 : Gen. 22:1; James 1:12
- Psalm 11:5 : Ps. 5:5
- Psalm 11:6 : Gen. 19:24; Job 18:15; Ezek. 38:22
- Psalm 11:6 : Ps. 75:8; [Job 21:20]
- Psalm 11:7 : See Ps. 33:5
- Psalm 11:7 : [Ps. 17:15; 140:13; 1 John 3:2; Rev. 22:4]
11 In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
(A)Flee like a bird to your mountain,
2 for behold, the wicked (B)bend the bow;
(C)they have fitted their arrow to the string
to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
3 if (D)the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?[a]
4 (E)The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord's (F)throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids (G)test the children of man.
5 The Lord (H)tests the righteous,
but (I)his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
6 Let him rain coals on the wicked;
(J)fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be (K)the portion of their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous;
he (L)loves righteous deeds;
(M)the upright shall behold his face.
Footnotes
- Psalm 11:3 Or for the foundations will be destroyed; what has the righteous done?
Cross references
- Psalm 11:1 : [1 Sam. 23:14, 19; 24:2; 26:19, 20]
- Psalm 11:2 : Ps. 7:12; 64:4; [Jer. 9:3]
- Psalm 11:2 : Ps. 21:12; 58:7; See Ps. 7:10
- Psalm 11:3 : Ps. 82:5; Ezek. 30:4
- Psalm 11:4 : Ps. 18:6; Mic. 1:2; Hab. 2:20
- Psalm 11:4 : Ps. 2:4; Isa. 66:1; Matt. 5:34; 23:22; Acts 7:49
- Psalm 11:4 : See Job 23:10
- Psalm 11:5 : Gen. 22:1; James 1:12
- Psalm 11:5 : Ps. 5:5
- Psalm 11:6 : Gen. 19:24; Job 18:15; Ezek. 38:22
- Psalm 11:6 : Ps. 75:8; [Job 21:20]
- Psalm 11:7 : See Ps. 33:5
- Psalm 11:7 : [Ps. 17:15; 140:13; 1 John 3:2; Rev. 22:4]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
In times of trouble, sometimes we just want to flee to our phones, TVs, or other guilty pleasures to escape the problems of the world. The wicked wants us to be quiet and not resist them. The psalmist on the other hand says, “In the LORD I take refuge.”
But that is not to say that the LORD is a place to hide away from it all. God invites us to a life of love, service, and sacrifice. Rather than let evil persist in taking advantage of the weak, the LORD gives us the strength to continue to do what is right and to trust in his will. Against all odds, we must believe that God’s love and justice will prevail in the end.
Prayer: Lord, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
One Word: Take refuge in the LORD
