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 Living Translation (NLT)The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?”

Context of Psalms 11:3

1In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”? 2For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do? 4The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. 5The Lord tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.

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 75:3The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved; I set up its pillars firmly. Selah
• Psalms 82:5They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable.
• Isaiah 58:12Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
• 2 Timothy 2:19Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
• 2 Kings 19:13Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?’ ”
• 2 Kings 22:12Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying,
• 2 Chronicles 32:13Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand?
• Nehemiah 6:10Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.”
• Jeremiah 26:11And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, “This man deserves to die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.”
• Daniel 3:15Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
• Daniel 6:10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
• John 11:8The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”
• Acts 4:5And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes,

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