Bible Commentaries
Psalms 11

Verse 1

In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

Ye — Mine enemies.

Verse 2

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.

For lo — David having directed his speech to his enemies, now turns it to God, and pours out before him his complaints.

Ready — They lay designs for my destruction and make all things ready to execute them.

Verse 3

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Foundations — Piety, justice, fidelity, and mercy, which are the pillars or foundations of a state or kingdom.

What — The condition of all righteous men will be desperate.

Verse 4

The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

Temple — In heaven; which is mentioned as an evidence of his glorious majesty, of his sovereign power and dominion over all men and things, and of his accurate inspection into all men and their actions.

Throne — Where he sits to examine all causes, and to give righteous sentence according to every man’s works.

Try — He throughly discerns all men, their most inward and secret actions: and therefore he sees and will reward my innocency, notwithstanding all the calumnies of mine enemies; and withal he sees all their secret designs, and will discover and defeat them.

Verse 5

The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

Trieth — He chastens even righteous persons, yet still he loves them, and therefore will in due time deliver them. But as for the wicked, God hates them, and will severely punish them.

Verse 6

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

Rain — Send them plentifully, swiftly, and suddenly, as rain commonly falls from heaven.

Snares — Grievous plagues or judgments, which are called snares, because wicked men are often surprized with them when they least expect them. And because they cannot escape them, or get out of them; but are held fast and destroyed by them.

Horrible tempests — Dreadful judgments so called, in allusion to the destruction of Sodom by these means. But this he seems to speak not so much of present calamities, as of eternal punishments.

This — Is their portion, and as it were the meat and drink appointed them by God.