5 The LORD H3068 trieth H974 the righteous: H6662 but the wicked H7563 and him that loveth H157 violence H2555 his soul H5315 hateth. H8130
Blessed G3107 is the man G435 that G3739 endureth G5278 temptation: G3986 for G3754 when he is tried, G1384 G1096 he shall receive G2983 the crown G4735 of life, G2222 which G3739 the Lord G2962 hath promised G1861 to them that love G25 him. G846
And it came to pass after H310 these things, H1697 that God H430 did tempt H5254 Abraham, H85 and said H559 unto him, Abraham: H85 and he said, H559 Behold, here I am.
These six H8337 things doth the LORD H3068 hate: H8130 yea, seven H7651 are an abomination H8441 unto him: H5315 A proud H7311 look, H5869 a lying H8267 tongue, H3956 and hands H3027 that shed H8210 innocent H5355 blood, H1818 An heart H3820 that deviseth H2790 wicked H205 imaginations, H4284 feet H7272 that be swift H4116 in running H7323 to mischief, H7451 A false H8267 witness H5707 that speaketh H6315 lies, H3577 and he that soweth H7971 discord H4090 among brethren. H251
Beloved, G27 think it G3579 not G3361 strange G3579 concerning the G5213 fiery trial G4451 which G1722 is G1096 to G4314 try G3986 you, G5213 as G5613 though some strange thing G3581 happened G4819 unto you: G5213
That G2443 the trial G1383 of your G5216 faith, G4102 being much G4183 more precious G5093 than of gold G5553 that perisheth, G622 though G1223 G1161 it be tried G1381 with fire, G4442 might be found G2147 unto G1519 praise G1868 and G2532 honour G5092 and G2532 glory G1391 at G1722 the appearing G602 of Jesus G2424 Christ: G5547
And I will bring H935 the third part H7992 through the fire, H784 and will refine H6884 them as silver H3701 is refined, H6884 and will try H974 them as gold H2091 is tried: H974 they shall call H7121 on my name, H8034 and I will hear H6030 them: I will say, H559 It is my people: H5971 and they shall say, H559 The LORD H3068 is my God. H430
For thou art not a God H410 that hath pleasure H2655 in wickedness: H7562 neither shall evil H7451 dwell H1481 with thee. The foolish H1984 shall not stand H3320 in thy sight: H5869 thou hatest H8130 all workers H6466 of iniquity. H205
Examine H974 me, O LORD, H3068 and prove H5254 me; try H6884 my reins H3629 and my heart. H3820
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 11
Commentary on Psalms 11 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Refusal to Flee When in a Perilous Situation.
Psalms 11:1-7, which likewise confidently sets the all-seeing eye of Jahve before the ungodly who carry out their murderous designs under cover of the darkness, is placed after Ps 10. The life of David (to whom even Hitzig and Ewald ascribe this Psalm) is threatened, the pillars of the state are shaken, they counsel the king to flee to the mountains. These are indications of the time when the rebellion of Absolom was secretly preparing, but still clearly discernible. Although hurrying on with a swift measure and clear in the principal thoughts, still this Psalm is not free from difficult points, just as it is with all the Psalms which contain similar dark passages from the internal condition of Israel. The gloomy condition of the nation seems to be reflected in the very language. The strophic plan is not easily discernible; nevertheless we cannot go far wrong in dividing the Psalm into two seven line strophes with a two line epiphonema .
David rejects the advice of his friends to save his life by flight. Hidden in Jahve (Psalms 16:1; Psalms 36:8) he needs no other refuge. However well-meant and well-grounded the advice, he considers it too full of fear and is himself too confident in God, to follow it. David also introduces his friends as speaking in other passages in the Psalms belonging to the period of the Absolom persecution, Psalms 3:3; Psalms 4:7. Their want of courage, which he afterwards had to reprove and endeavour to restore, showed itself even before the storm had burst, as we see here. With the words “how can you say” he rejects their proposal as unreasonable, and turns it as a reproach against them. If the Chethמb , נוּדוּ , is adopted, then those who are well-disposed, say to David, including with him his nearest subjects who are faithful to him: retreat to your mountain, (ye) birds ( צפּור collective as in Psalms 8:9; Psalms 148:10); or, since this address sounds too derisive to be appropriate to the lips of those who are supposed to be speaking here: like birds ( comparatio decurtata as in Psalms 22:14; Psalms 58:9; Psalms 24:5; Psalms 21:8). הרכס which seems more natural in connection with the vocative rendering of צפור (cf. Isaiah 18:6 with Ezekiel 39:4) may also be explained, with the comparative rendering, without any need for the conjecture הר כמו צפור (cf. Deuteronomy 33:19), as a retrospective glance at the time of the persecution under Saul: to the mountains, which formerly so effectually protected you (cf. 1 Samuel 26:20; 1 Samuel 23:14). But the Kerî , which is followed by the ancient versions, exchanges נודו for גוּדי , cf שׁחי Isaiah 51:23. Even reading it thus we should not take צפור , which certainly is epicoene, as vocative: flee to your mountain, O bird (Hitz.); and for this reason, that this form of address is not appropriate to the idea of those who profer their counsel. But we should take it as an equation instead of a comparison: fly to your mountain (which gave you shelter formerly), a bird, i.e., after the manner of a bird that flies away to its mountain home when it is chased in the plain. But this Kerî appears to be a needless correction, which removes the difficulty of נודו coming after לנפשׁי , by putting another in the place of this synallage numeri .
(Note: According to the above rendering: “Flee ye to your mountain, a bird” it would require to be accented נודו הרכם צפוז (as a transformation from נודו הרכם צפור vid., Baer's Accentssystem XVIII. 2). The interpunction as we have it, נודו הרכם צפור , harmonises with the interpretation of Varenius as of Löb Spira ( Pentateuch-Comm. 1815): Fugite (o socii Davidis), mons vester (h. e. praesidium vestrum, Psalms 30:8, cui innitimini) est avis errans.)