"I'm Not a Bird" - Psalm 11

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Psalm 11

1 In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
 “Flee like a bird to your mountain,
2 for behold, the wicked bend the bow;
   they have fitted their arrow to the string
   to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
3 if the foundations are destroyed,
   what can the righteous do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
   the Lord's throne is in heaven;
   his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
5 The Lord tests the righteous,
   but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
6 Let him rain coals on the wicked;
   fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
   the upright shall behold his face.

 
 

The psalmist is indignant: “I trust in God—stop telling me to fly away like a bird!”

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?”

The psalmist reminds himself that the Lord is still King and still on duty, and that the wicked will be punished. (He clearly alludes to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.)

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.
6 On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulfur;
    a scorching wind will be their lot.

I like the ending of Psalm 11—the Lord is good, and those who trust him will be rewarded.

7 For the Lord is righteous,
    he loves justice;
    the upright will see his face.