Psalms 11:3

_IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED, WHAT CAN THE RIGHTEOUS DO?_ If the foundations be destroyed - rather х_ KIY_ (H3588)], 'For' ... 'are' - i:e., the particular malice of the wicked against the godly (Psalms 11:2) is no marvel, 'For the foundations are destroyed'-namely, truth, godliness, righteousness, which constitute the basis of the social and theocratic fabric. When right is set at nought, society is undermined, and the righteous have no standing place. WHAT CAN THE RIGHTEOUS DO? х_ PAA`AAL_ (H6466)] - literally, "what has the righteous effected?" - i:e., the inability of the righteous to remedy the moral dissolution is a fact proved by sad experience....

3._Truly, the foundations are destroyed. _Some translate the word השתות, _hashathoth, _by _nets, _a sense in which the Scripture in other places often uses this word; and their explanation of the words is, that the wicked and deceitful arts which the ungodly practiced against David were defeated. If we admit this interpretation, the meaning of what he adds immediately after, _What hath the righteous one done? _will be, that his escape in safety was owing neither to his own exertion, nor to his own skill, but that, without putting forth any effort, and when, as it were, he was asleep, he had been delivered from the nets and snares of his enemies by the power of God. But the word_foundations _agrees better with the scope of the passage, for he evidently proceeds to relate into what straits he had been brought and shut up, so that his preservation was now to all appearance hopeless. Interpr...

Verse Psalms 11:3. _IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED_] If Saul, who is the vicegerent of God, has cast aside his fear, and now regards neither truth nor justice, a righteous man has no security for his life. This is at present thy case; therefore flee! They have utterly destroyed the foundations; (of truth and equity;) what can righteousness now effect? _Kimchi_ supposes this refers to the _priests_ who were murdered by Doeg, at the command of Saul. The priests are destroyed, the preservers of knowledge and truth; the Divine worship is overthrown; and what can the righteous man work? These I think to be also the words of David's advisers. To all of which he answers:-...

IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED - These are still to be regarded as the words of the psalmist’s advisers; or as an argument why he should make his escape. The word “foundations,” here, refers to those things on which society rests, or by which social order is sustained - the great principles of truth and righteousness that uphold society, as the foundations on which an edifice rests uphold the building. The reference is to a destruction of those things in a community, when truth is no longer respected; when justice is no longer practiced; when fraud and violence have taken the place of honesty and honor; when error prevails; when a character for integrity and virtue affords no longer any security. This is supposed to be the case in the circumstances referred to in the psalm, when there was no respect paid to truth and justice, and when the righteous, therefore, could find no security. It...

EXPOSITION ASCRIBED to David in the "title," this psalm is almost universally allowed to be his. It "has all the characteristics of the earlier Davidic psalms." No allusion enables us to assign it to any particular occasion; but, on the whole, it would seem to belong most probably to the period of David's residence at the court of Saul, when he had provoked the jealousy of the courtiers, and calumnious accusations were being continually brought against him. At such a time his friends and companions may well have lost heart, and advised him to "flee away to the mountains." But David flees to God (Psalms 11:1), and trusts in him for deliverance from his persecutors (Psalms 11:4). Psalms 1

IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED,.... Or, "for the foundations are destroyed" s; all things are out of order and course both in church and state; the laws, which are the foundations of government, are despised and disregarded; judgment is perverted, and justice stands afar off; the doctrines and principles of religion are derided and subverted; so that there is no standing, either in a political or religious sense. Jarchi interprets this of the priests of the Lord, the righteous, who are the foundations of the world, particularly the priests of Nob, slain by Doeg. Other Jewish writers, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, understand it of the purposes and counsels, nets and snares, laid by the wicked for the righteous, which are broken and destroyed; not by them, for what can they do? but by the Lord, who is in his holy temple. So it WHAT CAN THE RIGHTEOUS DO? or "what does the righteou...

Psalms 11 __ 1. Faith's resources in the day of trouble (Psalms 11:1) 2. The recompense for the righteous and the wicked (Psalms 11:5) Psalms 11:1. Their refuge is the Lord, in Him they trust as we, His heavenly people, know Him as our hiding place in the time of trouble. That coming day of trouble is the time “when the foundations are destroyed.” It is the time of apostasy and confusion. But their comfort is “Jehovah is in His holy temple, the Throne of Jehovah is in heaven.” Psalms 11:5. But faith also reckons with the day of retributio

XI. YAHWEH THE SURE REFUGE. Psalms 11:1. The problem stated. The wicked are bold: the righteous cannot meet their attack. They can but flee like a little bird (the habitual meaning of the word translated bird). The mountain (LXX) is preferable to your mountain. An eagle might be poetically described as lord of the mountain, not so a little bird, which seeks refuge there. The reason for this despair is that while the very foundations of social order have been shaken, the righteous have made no head against prevailing evil. After all what hath the righteous done or effected? (_mg.)._ The answer (Psalms 11:4), Yahweh is in His heavenly Temple. But far from dwelling apart, He proves or tests the righteous. He rains burning wood on the wicked (so emend the senseless word snares in...

THE FOUNDATIONS: _hashshathoth =_ settled order of truth or institutions; not the roof or walls. THE. a. DO. Not say or think, but lawfully and effectually "do"....

IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED, &C.— _When the foundations are pulled up, what hath the righteous man to expect? i.e. What is the work or reward of the righteous man?_ What has he to do or expect, when the very foundations of justice and government are turned upside down? See Psalms 82:5.Isaiah 24:18. It was on this account, because the foundations were overthrown, and no regard was had to law or right, that David's distrustful friends advised him to flee to the _hills,_ as to places of strength and safety; since otherwise, however righteous himself, however good his cause, he would soon be seized upon and ruined. The rest of the Psalm contains his reply....