Psalms 11:1

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.

Psalms 11:1 in Other Translations

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

1 In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, "Flee like a bird to your mountain,

1 I trust in the LORD for protection. So why do you say to me, “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!

1 I've already run for dear life straight to the arms of God. So why would I run away now when you say,

1 I have taken refuge in the Lord. How can you say to me, "Escape to the mountain like a bird!

Psalms 11:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 11:1

In the Lord put I my trust
Not in himself, in his own heart, nor in his own righteousness and strength; nor in men, the greatest of men, the princes of the earth; nor in his armies, or any outward force; but in the Lord, as the God of providence and of grace; and in the Messiah, in his person and righteousness; so the Chaldee paraphrase renders it, "in the Word of the Lord do I hope": and the phrase denotes a continued exercise of faith in the Lord; that he was always looking to him, staying himself on him, and committing himself and all his concerns to him; for he does not say, I "have", or I "will", but I "do", put my trust in the Lord; at all times, even in the worst of times, and in the present one; wherefore he is displeased with his friends for endeavouring to intimidate him, persuading him to flee and provide for his safety, when he had betaken himself to the Lord, and was safe enough;

how say ye to my soul, flee [as] a bird to your mountain?
they compare him to a little, fearful, trembling bird, wandering from its nest, moving through fear from place to place, whereas his heart was fixed, trusting in the Lord; and this gave him a disgust: they advise him to flee either "from" his mountain, so Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it; that is, either from Judea, which was a mountainous country, especially some parts of it; or from Mount Zion, or rather from the mountain in the wilderness of Ziph, or the hill of Hachilah, where David sometimes was, ( 1 Samuel 23:14 ) ( 26:1 ) ; or it may be rendered "to your mountain", as we, so the Targum; that is, to the said place or places where he had sometimes hid himself; and this they said to his "soul", which was very cutting and grieving to him; the word rendered "flee" in the "Cetib", or writing of the text, is (wdwn) , in the plural, "flee ye"; but is pointed for, and in the "Keri", or marginal reading, is (ydwn) , "flee thou"; the latter agrees with this being said to David's soul, the former with the phrase "your mountain", and both are to be taken into the sense of the words; not as if the one respected David's soul only, and the other both soul and body, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe; but the one regards David's person, and the other his companions, or the people with him; and contains an advice, both to him and them, to flee for their safety; the reasons follow.

Psalms 11:1 In-Context

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 everyone on earth; his eyes examine them.

5 The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.

Cross References

• 1. S Psalms 7:1; Psalms 56:11
• 2. S Genesis 14:10
• 3. Psalms 50:11