Psalm 11

Makestraightpaths.com examines the teachings of the religious group variously known as “the Family,” “The Family International,” the “Children of God,” or the “Family of Love,” and evaluates these teachings from a Christian perspective.

This page focuses on the eleventh Psalm.

Psalm 11

The following study was not written to address any particular issue concerning the Family, with the exception of the almost complete lack of Bible study that is a Family characteristic. It is therefore posted here as an example of how to study, rather than an exposition of Family doctrines.

Psalm 11 (NIV)

For the director of music. Of David.

1 In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
“Flee like a bird to your mountain.

2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
at the upright in heart.

3 When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”

4 The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men;
his eyes examine them.

5 The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence
his soul hates.

6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.

7 For the LORD is righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.

Genre

The psalms are songs, written in highly figurative, poetical and emotive language. These songs are inspired prayers and praises directed to God rather than his imperatives to mankind or doctrinal instruction for believers. They are whole units, in that they are composed of individual, inseparable components, each of which functions in a particular way, none of which is fully meaningful without the remainder of the psalm. They teach about prayer through the inspired example of individual people or corporate groups coming to the Lord in a variety of situations, and for a variety of reasons. Therefore, in order to interpret a psalm, it is important to ascertain whether the psalm in question was intended as a personal or a corporate prayer, and its function or purpose. In fact, individual psalms may function as complaints, dirges, thanksgiving songs, hymns, coronation hymns, love songs, liturgies, imprecatory psalms or wisdom psalms. Above all, the psalms may be seen as expressions of the faith of ancient Israel. In reading, meditating on and using the psalms as the ancient Israelites used them, modern believers may connect with the vibrant faith of a people chosen by God, yet beset by difficulties both internal and external. The books of the Law reveal God’s commandments to these people, but the psalms reveal how they lived those commandments, and how they related to God in adversity and in victory. This is the ‘timeless’ aspect of the psalms, the way in which they remain relevant, applicable and alive today.

Psalm 11 is one of the ten ‘Songs of Trust’ in the Bible. It is located, however, within a group of ‘Lament Psalms’ and so provides an affirmation of trust in God within the larger context of suffering and disheartenment. It is ascribed to King David.

As a Psalm, it should first be divided into its components:

Introduction and theme:

The psalmist trusts in the safety provided by the Lord

Psalm 11 (NIV), For the director of music. Of David.

1 In the LORD I take refuge.

Expression of fear and discouragement

How then can you say to me:

“Flee like a bird to your mountain.

2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;

they set their arrows against the strings

to shoot from the shadows

at the upright in heart.

3 When the foundations are being destroyed,

what can the righteous do?”

The Lord’s authority and justice

4 The LORD is in his holy temple;

the LORD is on his heavenly throne.

He observes the sons of men;

his eyes examine them.

5 The LORD examines the righteous,

but the wicked and those who love violence

his soul hates.

6 On the wicked he will rain

fiery coals and burning sulfur;

a scorching wind will be their lot.

Conclusion: affirmation of trust

7 For the LORD is righteous,

he loves justice;

upright men will see his face.

Overview

It may be seen that the psalm opens with a declaration of trust in the midst of trouble (vs.1a). It is this theme around which the entire psalm revolves: regardless of problems, external discouragement or internal dismay, true faith remains steadfastly fixed upon the Lord. Assurance comes, not from defeat over enemies or from answers to prayer, but in the knowledge of the utmost righteousness of the Lord as judge of all. True faith is therefore expressed as trust in God’s judgement, and it is this expression of trust that comes at the beginning and end of the psalmist’s prayer.

A prayer to God

The psalms are not doctrinal expositions or imperatives from God to us. Psalm 11, therefore, may be read as an example of a believer, besieged by doubts and fears, troubled by injustice and anarchy, who pours out his soul to God. He does not rephrase his doubts so that he appears righteous before God, neither does he pretend that his fears do not exist. Rather, he lays them plainly before God. He does not attempt to address the direct cause of his problems but instead appeals to God as the only just judge, and declares his utter dependence on God’s justice. The overall tone is one of such confidence in God’s justice that the psalmist mocks the source of his fears, “How can you say this to me?” Those fears are utterly confounded through dependence on the Lord.

Poetical elements

Introduction and theme: the psalmist trusts in the safety provided by the Lord (vs.1a)

“In the LORD I take refuge”.

The Lord is pictured here as a place of refuge in which the psalmist may shelter. As an example of hypocatastasis, or an implied metaphor, it brings out the Lord’s protection and strength and the psalmist’s confidence therein.

Expression of fear and discouragement (vs.1b-3).

“How then can you say to me”.

The psalmist addresses his foes, expressing amazement that anyone could consider such questions. These enemies may be actual people guilty of disseminating doubtful sayings, they may be troublesome circumstances which cause him to lose heart, or they may be his own fearful heart. This is an example of apostrophe, or addressing an inanimate object as a person or an absent person as if he were present. The remainder of verse one, as well as verses two and three comprise a ‘speech’ addressed to the psalmist, whether actual, or as an implied personification of his problems, in which he is advised to abandon hope.

“Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look…”

The first line of his fears urges him to escape, whether literally, as David indeed had to do on occasion, or through some change in circumstances caused by fear. He is metaphorically advised to escape, as a bird flies to a safe location among the mountains. His foes mock him, “Run away! Look! Trouble is coming!”

“the wicked bend their bows;

they set their arrows against the strings

A typical example of synonymous parallelism occurs here, with the second line echoing the first, without significant addition. The psalmist’s problems originate from ‘the wicked’, which may be “personified symbols of virtually any misery or problem” (Fee & Stuart).

to shoot from the shadows

at the upright in heart.”

The next line continues the metaphor of the archer, adding that the problems may originate unexpectedly or deviously. Following that is an example of synthetic parallelism, which adds information to the preceding line, without an obvious parallel structure.

When the foundations are being destroyed,

what can the righteous do?

These lines conclude the ‘speech’ addressed to the psalmist, given with the intent to cause him to lose heart. The word ‘foundations’ (OT:8356) is a rare word, occurring only twice in the Old Testament. It means “a basis, i.e. (figuratively) political or moral support” (Strong) or “stay (of society) probably figurative of established usages, laws, etc.” (Brown, Driver & Briggs). These lines are therefore probably hyperbolic: “Everything is going wrong!” The thought continues and enlarges the generally negative and fearful message of the disheartening ‘speech’ addressed to David and concludes with a rhetorical question: “The situation is hopeless, what could anyone possibly do about it?”

The Lord’s authority and justice (vs.4-6)

The LORD is in his holy temple;

the LORD is on his heavenly throne.

The psalmist employs more synthetic parallelism, where the second line echoes the first. There is also notable progression from general to specific occurring throughout this verse: the Lord is first ‘in his holy temple’, then ‘on his heavenly throne’. The Lord’s ‘holy temple’ metaphorically describes His spiritual location, “God is in heaven”. Then, the statement that He is on His throne is an anthropomorphism, figuratively indicating God’s royal rule as a king sitting upon a throne. The implication is that God has all authority; He is sovereign Lord of all.

He observes the sons of men;

his eyes examine them.

The anthropomorphism continues, picturing God closely scrutinising human actions. The progression from general to specific also continues as God, who was first ‘in His temple’, then ‘on His throne’ now ‘observes’ what people do, until He ‘examines’ them. The word ‘examine’ (OT:974) means “search them through and through” (Brown, Driver & Briggs). The implication is of eventual judgement, of a God who cannot see without acting, whose righteousness is the universal standard.

The LORD examines the righteous,

but the wicked and those who love violence

his soul hates.

Here is an example of antithetic parallelism, where the second line echoes the first, through a contrast. It is closely linked to the previous couplet through the repetition of the word ‘examine’, developing the theme of divine justice, and implying personal vindication. There is pleonastic repetition in ‘the wicked’ and ‘those who love violence’, who should not be seen as different groups. The statement that ‘God’s soul hates the wicked’ should be seen in the light of the fact that the word carries with it the meaning of ‘be unwilling or unable to put up with’ (Fee & Stuart). In other words, this is not a doctrinal exposition on the limits of God’s love, but a continuation of the theme of ‘God’s justice’. God, says the psalmist, cannot put up with injustice; He must take action because it is His nature.

On the wicked he will rain

fiery coals and burning sulfur;

a scorching wind will be their lot.

This verse continues or expounds on the theme introduced in the previous verse, being the Lord’s action against the ‘wicked’. It is somewhat imprecatory in its call for punishment upon the wicked, which is expressed in an idiomatic hendiadys, ‘fiery coals and burning sulfur’, which does not indicate two separate items falling from the sky but rather is a dramatic figure of the eventual punishment of the wicked. The thought is continued in the synthetic parallelism of the scorching wind. Rather than a literal downpour of fire, the psalmist trusts that when the Lord conducts His justice, rewards will be fair to both the good and the bad.

Affirmation of trust (vs.7)

For the LORD is righteous,

he loves justice;

upright men will see his face.

The conclusion of the psalm sees the psalmist underscore his overarching theme: the Lord is just. The anthropomorphic reference to God’s face implies the favour of the Lord. In fact, verse seven forms a chiasmic parallelism in which the basic elements of verse five and six are echoed, but in reverse order: The Lord sees, He judges the wicked; He judges the righteous, who in turn see his face.

Conclusion

Psalm 11 is an expression of trust in the midst of doubt, of faith amid fear. The psalmist sings of his confidence in God while those around him speak words of discouragement. His trust does not come from his own righteousness or from confidence in the strength of his weaponry, or from the Lord’s anointing on his army, but rather his trust comes from an expression of absolute dependence upon the Lord’s justice, beside which doubts and fears seem absurd. It is this divine justice that provides refuge, regardless of the calamities that surround; it is this justice that inexorably propels the ‘wicked’ towards their fate, and the righteous into His favour. This psalm may equally well refer to human enemies or to troubling circumstances. The psalmist sets an example of honest prayer, as he lays his fears openly before the Lord, who, he affirms, is to be trusted in all.

References

Brown, F, Friver, SR & Briggs CA 2003, Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Biblesoft, Seattle, WA.

Fee, GD & Stuart, D 2002, How to Read the Bible Book by Book, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids MI.

Fee, GD & Stuart, D 2003, How to Read the Bible for All its Worth (Third Edition), Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids MI.

Strong, J 2003, Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Seattle, WA.

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