11:1For the chief [musician].
Of David.
In Yahweh I trust.
How can you say to my soul,
“Flee to your mountains [like] a bird”?
11:2For behold, the wicked bend [the] bow.
They prepare the arrow on the string
to shoot in the dark at the upright of heart.
11:3If the foundations are thrown down,
what can [a] righteous [person] do?
11:4Yahweh is in the temple of his holiness.
Yahweh, his throne [is] in the heavens.
His eyes see.
His eyelids examine the sons of Adam.
11:5Yahweh examines [the] righteous and [the] wicked,
and his soul hates the one who loves violence.
11:6 He will rain coals upon the wicked,
fire and brimstone and a burning wind [will be] the portion of their cup.
11:7For Yahweh [is] righteous.
He loves righteousness.
The upright will see his face.
11:1
For the chief [musician]. Of David.
In Yahweh I will trust (Qal Pf 1cs חָסָה I trust).
How can you say (Qal Impf 2mp) to my soul,
“Flee to your mountains [like] a bird”?
11:1
בַּֽיהוָ֨ה ׀ חָסִ֗יתִי
אֵ֭יךְ תֹּאמְר֣וּ לְנַפְשִׁ֑י [נודו] (נ֝֗וּדִי) הַרְכֶ֥ם צִפּֽוֹר׃
11:1
Εἰς τὸ τέλος·
τῷ Δαυεὶδ ψαλμός.
Ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ πέποιθα·
πῶς ἐρεῖτε τῇ ψυχῇ μου
Μεταναστεύου ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη ὡς στρουθίον;
11:2
For behold, the wicked bend (Qal Impf 3mp דָּרַךְ) [the] bow
They prepare (Piel Pf 3cp כּוּן) the arrow on the string
to shoot (Qal Infin cons יָרָא) in the dark at the upright of heart.
11:2
כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה הָרְשָׁעִ֡ים יִדְרְכ֬וּן קֶ֗שֶׁת
לִיר֥וֹת בְּמוֹ־אֹ֝֗פֶל לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃
11:2
ὅτι ἰδοὺ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐνέτειναν τόξον,
ἡτοίμασαν βέλη εἰς φαρέτραν,
τοῦ κατατοξεῦσαι ἐν σκοτομήνῃ τοὺς εὐθεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ.
11:3
If the foundations are thrown down (Niph Impf 3mp הָרַס),
what can [a] righteous [person] do (Qal Pf 3ms פָּעָֽל)?
11:3
כִּ֣י הַ֭שָּׁתוֹת יֵֽהָרֵס֑וּן
11:3
ὅτι ἃ κατηρτίσω καθεῖλον·
ὁ δὲ δίκαιος τί ἐποίησεν;
11:4
Yahweh is in the temple of his holiness
Yahweh, his throne [is] in the heavens
His eyes see (Qal Impf 3mp חָזָה)
His eyelids examine (Qal Impf 3mp בָּחַן) the sons of Adam
11:4
יְהוָ֤ה ׀ בְּֽהֵ֘יכַ֤ל קָדְשׁ֗וֹ
יְהוָה֮ בַּשָּׁמַ֪יִם כִּ֫סְא֥וֹ
עַפְעַפָּ֥יו יִ֝בְחֲנ֗וּ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃
11:4
Κύριος ἐν ναῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ.
Κύριος, ἐν οὐρανῷ ὁ θρόνος αὐτοῦ.
οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν πένητα ἀποβλέπουσιν,
τὰ βλέφαρα αὐτοῦ ἐξετάζει τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
11:5
Yahweh examines [the] righteous and [the] wicked (Qal Impf 3ms בָּחַן),
and his soul hates (Qal Pf 3fs שָׂנֵא) the one loving violence.
11:5
יְהוָה֮ צַדִּ֪יק יִ֫בְחָ֥ן וְ֭רָשָׁע
וְאֹהֵ֣ב חָמָ֑ס שָֽׂנְאָ֥ה נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
11:5
Κύριος ἐξετάζει τὸν δίκαιον καὶ τὸν ἀσεβῆ·
ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν ἀδικίαν μισεῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν.
11:6
He will rain (Hiph Impf 3ms Juss מָטַר) coals upon the wicked,
Fire and brimstone and a burning wind [will be] the portion of their cup.
11:6
יַמְטֵ֥ר עַל־רְשָׁעִ֗ים פַּ֫חִ֥ים
אֵ֣שׁ וְ֭גָפְרִית וְר֥וּחַ זִלְעָפ֗וֹת מְנָ֣ת כּוֹסָֽם׃
11:6
ἐπιβρέξει ἐπὶ ἁμαρτωλοὺς παγίδας·
πῦρ καὶ θεῖον καὶ πνεῦμα καταιγίδος ἡ μερὶς τοῦ ποτηρίου αὐτῶν.
11:7
For Yahweh [is] righteous.
He loves (Qal Pf 3ms) righteousness.
The upright will see (Qal Impf 3mp חָזָה) his face.
11:7
11:7
ὅτι δίκαιος Κύριος
καὶ δικαιοσύνας ἠγάπησεν,
εὐθύτητα εἶδεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ.
In verse 1a, David states his response to Yahweh. He trusts him.
The circumstances in which David trusts Yahweh are staged in verses 1b-3. He is threatened by unnamed wicked persons, who are planning to attack him. This is exemplified by the fact that an interlocutor urges David to flee to the mountains. The wicked are preparing to attack him. This may be Saul, or Absalom. We cannot be sure. But either of those situations would suit the foundational upheaval that David is facing (v. 3). It would seem that the foundations of David's life, and thus of Israel's society since he is the Lord's Anointed, are being thrown down and destroyed by the crisis that occasioned the Psalm.
The reason why David will trust Yahweh in this situation is given in verses 4-7. Yahweh remains on his throne. God is sovereign over David's situation. God rules all humans as governor of all life, and he has given Israel the tabernacle as a sign of his dwelling with them. The tension about God's dwelling-place--in heaven or in the temple--sits unresolved, but this is appropriate.
Yahweh both examines the behaviour of humans and is just to punish the wicked and reward the righteous. This is the reason why David can trust Yahweh. Yahweh hates such as love violence. Their crimes will not go unpunished. But the righteous will see Yahweh's face.
While we don't see perfect retribution in this life, the certainty of judgement and reward is confirmed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the judge. The final judgement will be the occasion of righting all wrongs. However, God does oversee the administration of temporal judgements, not as a quid pro quo, but to bring about his good purposes of salvation and sanctification of the elect and the just condemnation of the wicked.