Psalm 11 Story behind the Psalm
Overview
Background Ideas
- A trapped bird is an image for a besieged king (cf. ANET 288; Quine 2017).
- Bows were a critical offensive weapon in a siege (see e.g., the 8th-7th century BC relief of the Assyrian siege of Lachish; cf. Eph'al 2013:87; Schwartz 2018:509)
- Cities are protected by fortifications (e.g., walls and towers), which have foundations (e.g., Mic. 1:6), and a besieging army might attempt to destroy the foundations of these fortifications (cf. Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, 6.15ff; Yadin 1963:16-20).
- Metals are subjected to intense heat ("tested" בחן) both for the purpose of examining their quality and for the purpose of refining them (cf. Keel 1997:184).
Background Situation
Expanded Paraphrase
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- Close but Clear (CBC) translation
- Assumptions which provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences
v.1
For the director. By David.
I have sought refuge in YHWH (my king) (and therefore I am safe from all harm). How (then) can you (my military advisors) say to me, "(You and those you are with you should) Flee to your mountain , (because you are like) birds (which are about to be trapped) (and birds take shelter in the mountains.)! (We are under siege, and we have no hope of a successful defense), (and a besieged king is like a trapped bird who should flee if he can).
v.2
"(You should flee because the enemy is preparing for an all-out assault on our city!)For look! The wicked ones(those who oppose YHWH's people) are about to bend (and put the string on) the bow. (Bows are a critical offensive weapon in a siege.)
(They have now already bent and strung the bow. The assault is beginning.) They have put their arrows in place on the string in order to shoot in deep darkness (an image of calamity) at those (of us who are in the city) who are upright in heart (and have done no wrong so as to deserve this).
v.3
"(You should flee) For the foundations (of our city wall) are about to be destroyed (Cities are protected by fortifications which have foundations, and a besieging army would sometimes attempt to destroy the foundations of a defensive structure.)
What has the righteous one done (to deserve this)? (The righteous have done nothing to deserve this!)(YHWH has unjustly brought this crisis about for no good reason,)(which means we can no longer trust him for protection,)(which means that the only way for you to be safe is for you to flee.)"
v.4
(You say all this because you are forgetting who YHWH is.)(YHWH, in whom I have taken refuge) (is the supreme king over the whole world). YHWH is in his holy temple (in the heavens). YHWH - his throne is (not on the earth but) in heaven. (Just as it is the responsibility of an earthly king to execute justice in his land)(so YHWH will execute justice in the world). (In order to execute justice, YHWH needs to know who is righteous and who is wicked). (That's why) His eyes observe. (That's why) His eyelids test humans (like a goldsmith tests a precious metal to determine its quality).
v.5
(Since YHWH knows who is righteous and who is wicked, he can deal with each accordingly). YHWH refines the righteous one (just as a goldsmith refines a precious metal in the fire). (YHWH loves the righteous)(and the difficulties they experience, like the one which we are experiencing, are meant to refine them, not to destroy them), but (he doesn't refine the wicked. Instead,) his soul hates the wicked one, who loves violence (just as those who are attacking us show their love for violence).
v.6
(God rained fire and brimstone on the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah)(and so demonstrated his justice.) May he rain traps (which are used to catch birds) on wicked people (since, despite what it may seem, it is not we but the wicked who will be trapped like birds). May the portion in their cup be fire, brimstone, and a scorching wind. (Just as YHWH showed himself to be just when he rained fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah),(so may he do it again!)
v.7
(My advisors may doubt, but I trust YHWH.) For YHWH is righteous. He loves righteous acts (and those who do them).(Whereas the fate of the wicked is destruction,) The upright will look at his face (and so experience his favor and protective presence forever).
Story Triangles
vv. 1-3
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vv. 4-7 and v. 1a
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