Psalms 11:3

Psalms 11:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
• New International Version (NIV)When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?

Context of Psalms 11:3

1In the Lord I have taken shelter. How can you say to me, “Flee to a mountain like a bird! 2For look, the wicked prepare their bows, they put their arrows on the strings, to shoot in the darkness at the morally upright. When the foundations are destroyed, what can the godly accomplish?” 4The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; his eyes examine all people. 5The Lord approves of the godly, but he hates the wicked and those who love to do violence.

Psalms 11:3 word by word

כִּ֣י הַ֭שָּׁתוֹת יֵֽהָרֵס֑וּן צַ֝דִּ֗יק מַה־פָּעָֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If the foundationsשָׁתshâthâh · foundationH8356
• be destroyedהָרַסhâras · to overthrowH2040
• what can the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• doפָּעַלpâ‛al · to workH6466

Cross-references for Psalms 11:3

• Psalms 75:3When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear, I make its pillars secure.” (Selah)
• Psalms 82:5They neither know nor understand. They stumble around in the dark, while all the foundations of the earth crumble.
• Isaiah 58:12Your perpetual ruins will be rebuilt; you will reestablish the ancient foundations. You will be called, ‘The one who repairs broken walls, the one who makes the streets inhabitable again.’
• 2 Timothy 2:19However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.”
• 2 Kings 19:13Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”
• 2 Kings 22:12The king ordered Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant,
• 2 Chronicles 32:13Are you not aware of what I and my predecessors have done to all the nations of the surrounding lands? Have the gods of the surrounding lands actually been able to rescue their lands from my power?
• Nehemiah 6:10Then I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. He was confined to his home. He said, “Let’s set up a time to meet in the house of God, within the temple. Let’s close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. It will surely be at night that they will come to kill you.”
• Jeremiah 26:11Then the priests and the prophets made their charges before the officials and all the people. They said, “This man should be condemned to die because he prophesied against this city. You have heard him do so with your own ears.”
• Daniel 3:15Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the statue that I had made. If you don’t pay homage to it, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?”
• Daniel 6:10When Daniel realized that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. Three times daily he was kneeling and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously.
• John 11:8The disciples replied, “Rabbi, the Jewish leaders were just now trying to stone you to death! Are you going there again?”
• Acts 4:5On the next day, their rulers, elders, and experts in the law came together in Jerusalem.

Commentaries on Psalms 11:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3If 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3If 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The wicked create a world of darkness (see Psalms 82:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Literally, "The foundations (that is, of good order and law) will be destroyed, what has the righteous done (to sustain them)?" All his efforts have failed.Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Arrow
• Naioth
• Rain
• Try
• Foundation
• Papyrus
• Psalms, Book of

Commentaries on Psalms 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings