Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 11:5
The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
5. Each half of the verse is to be completed from the other. God proves and approves the righteous: He proves and rejects the wicked.
trieth ] Alloweth in P.B.V. means ‘approveth after trial.’ Cp. Rom 14:22; 1Th 2:4.
his soul hateth ] Cp. Isa 1:14. God’s soul is a bold expression for His innermost, essential nature, which cannot do otherwise than hate evil, and of necessity also the evil man, in so far as he surrenders himself to ‘love violence,’ deliberately choosing evil for his good. Cp. Mic 3:2; Rom 1:32.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Lord trieth the righteous – That is, he proves them, searches them, tests the reality of their piety. His dealings with them are such as to test the genuineness of their religion, and are designed to show their sincerity and the real power of their religious principles. It is not for the purpose of destroying them, or punishing them, that he deals with them as he does, but it is to show the reality of their attachment to him. This language seems here to be used to show the feeling of the persecuted and afflicted author of the psalm. He understood the reason why these calamities were suffered to come upon him – to wit, as a trial of his faith; and therefore it was his duty to remain and bear these troubles, and not to attempt to escape from them by flight. He says, therefore, that these troubles in the case of the righteous were in strong contrast with the purpose of the divine dealings toward the wicked, on whom God would rain snares, fire, and brimstone. In their case his judgments were for the purpose of punishing and destroying; in the case of the righteous it was to try them, or to test the reality of their religion.
But the wicked – The wicked in general. All the wicked.
And him that loveth violence – Referring particularly here to those who were engaged in persecuting him who was the author of this psalm. They were contemplating acts of violence toward him Psa 11:2; he says that all such persons were the objects of the divine displeasure, and would be appropriately punished.
His soul hateth – that is, he hates. God is often spoken of in language appropriate to man; and he is here referred to as having a soul – as he is elsewhere as having eyes, hands, or feet. The meaning is, that all such persons were the objects of the divine abhorrence, and that the divine dealings with them were not, as with the righteous, to try them, but to punish and destroy them. Knowing this, the persecuted author of the psalm, instead of fleeing, calmly committed himself and his cause to God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 11:5
The Lord trieth the righteous.
The godly discipline
I. The characters tried–the righteous. This word righteous is used for two reasons.
1. Because in Gods sight they are such.
2. Because they are such in the sight of men.
II. The various ways in which the righteous are tried. They have their natural dispositions even as other men. Though trials come to all, they differ in character, and are proportioned in degree. Christians are tried when–
1. They are led to investigate the character and tendency of their life.
2. When special and direct afflictions are sent.
3. When alterations and changes in our family circumstances occur.
4. When temptations of a trying character are permitted to come in their way.
III. The ends that are to be answered by these trials. There is nothing purposeless in the plans of God. We are tried–
1. That we may be corrected.
2. That we may be proved.
3. That we may be purified.
Learn to recognise the Lords hand in our trials, and to distinguish between the results of our own folly and Gods chastisements. Let us rejoice in the anticipation of a world without sorrow, the unsuffering kingdom of our Lord. (W. G. Barrett.)
Trials and their lessons
David was living at the court of Saul, and many were plotting for his destruction. But his support was that God would permit no real harm to come to him, and that his trial was from God. They wanted David to flee away. They said, the foundations were broken up, and what could the righteous do? You never know what you can do when God helps you.
1. Believers are righteous–by the pardon of the past, which conceals it as if it had never been. Because God puts within them a new heart and a new spirit. And practically, by fulfilling Gods commandments.
2. Righteous people are tried. In one sense the probation of the wicked is over. Believing people are on trial. You have accepted mercy–and your trial is whether you will be faithful to the grace given, whether you will persevere to the end. The truth that there is a possibility of your falling away has its practical value. It ought to lead you to caution, vigilance, and self-denial.
3. It is the Lord who tries you. Then you will not be tried too much. The Lord has the control of all your trials, whether they come through prosperity, adversity, bereavements, persecutions, or the sufferings of others.
4. Why does the Lord try the righteous? That they may know themselves, to train and discipline character, to make us more useful, and to advance His own glory. It is Gods opportunity of showing the truth of His promise to help. You ought to learn to get good out of your trials. Glory in tribulations also, that the power of Christ may rest upon you. (Samuel Coley.)
The mission of trial
He tries them for their own good, that they may know themselves. He tries them for the good of others, that the world may learn how powerful a thing faith in God is, when it has once laid fast hold of His promises. It was for this purpose that He tested Abraham when He commanded him to offer up his son Isaac, with his own hand, a burnt offering unto the Lord. The trial taught Abraham–what he could never have known of himself without it–the character of true evangelical obedience, that it falters at no sacrifice known to be required by the will of God. It is these testing trials of the righteous that bring out their graces, develop and perfect their virtues. The hand of God is in them all, seeking higher praise for Himself, and working out a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory for the believer. The Lord trieth the righteous; only, however, to consume their dross and refine their gold. The wicked have no just cause for triumphing over him, when they see the righteous man in affliction. The hand of God is thus upon him only for his good. His trials are no evidence that the fact is otherwise. The prosperity of the wicked is by no means indicative of the Divine approbation. (David Caldwell, A. M.)
The testing of the perfect
Pure gold may remain in the fire a thousand years without loss of substance, without contracting a single stain or losing an atom of its weight. The fire that burns the oak into ashes, marble into dust, iron into rust, has no power to destroy or even injure a metal that shines but the brighter for the glowing flame. Gold is therefore called in the language of metallurgy–a perfect metal; and were we perfect, perfect in holiness, the only effect of fiery trials would be, not to burn up, but to brighten Gods image. (Thomas Guthrie.)
The test of trial
The sword is not tested until the battle rages, the ship is not proved until the storm blows, even diamonds are now so wondrously imitated that the best judges can only tell them by putting the steel file to their facets–that does no mischief except to shams; the genuine fear nothing, fire only purifies the real gold. So trial will show the real value of Christian character. The general is best estimated in the battle, the skill of the physician in the sick room. (R. Venting.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. The Lord trieth the righteous] He does not abandon them; he tries them to show their faithfulness, and he afflicts them for their good.
His soul hateth.] The wicked man must ever be abhorred of the Lord; and the violent man-the destroyer and murderer-his soul hateth; an expression of uncommon strength and energy: all the perfections of the Divine nature have such in abomination.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The Lord trieth the righteous; either,
1. He examines them, and knows them to be righteous, and consequently approveth, and loveth, and will preserve and bless them; which may be gathered from the contrary condition of the wicked, whom God is supposed to try, though that be not expressed, and upon trial finds them to be wicked, and therefore hates and punisheth them, as it follows. The like ellipsis of a whole sentence, see on Psa 1:6. Or,
2. He trieth and exerciseth them and their graces by afflictions, or he corrects them for their sins; which is oft called trying, as Psa 66:10; Zec 13:9; Jam 1:12; 1Pe 4:12. So this is spoken by way of concession, and to remove the offence which some men might take at David, whose person and cause they might be apt to condemn because of his troubles. Therefore he saith, God tries, i.e. chastens, even righteous persons; yet still he loves them, and therefore will in due time deliver them. But as for the wicked, let not them rejoice in my trials, for far worse things are appointed for them; God hates them, and will severely punish them.
Him that loveth violence; by which character he describes and brands his enemies, and aggravates their malice, because they chose and practised violence against him, not for any need which they had of it, (for David was a most peaceable and harmless man, and neither pretended nor endeavoured to do any more than to defend himself, and that, as far as was possible, without the offence or injury of any other man,) but merely from their love to injustice and violence, and their implacable hatred against goodness and good men.
His soul hateth; he hateth with or from his soul, i.e. inwardly and ardently.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. The trial of the righteousresults in their approval, as it is contrasted with God’s hatred tothe wicked.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Lord trieth the righteous,…. As gold is tried in the fire, by afflictive providences; hereby he tries their graces, their faith, and patience, their hope, and love, and fear; and, by so doing, expresses his love to them, since this is all for their good: and therefore, when he suffers the wicked to go great lengths in persecuting and distressing them, this should not weaken, their confidence in him; he still loves them, and loves when he rebukes and chastises them;
but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth; that is, such who live in a course of sin and wickedness, and who not only do injury to the persons, characters, and properties of men, but love it, and delight therein, and also take pleasure in them that do the same: these God has a continued and inward aversion to; sin and wickedness being the abominable thing his righteous soul hates: and he shows his hatred to them, by not chastising them now, as he does his own people, but reserving everlasting punishment for them hereafter; see Pr 13:24.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. Trieth the righteous An early and fundamental Hebrew doctrine. The trials of the righteous are not punishments for sin, but fatherly and corrective chastisements for their profit. Heb 12:6-8.
But the wicked Very different are the judgments of God upon the “wicked,” whom he treats as violators of his laws. See on Psa 7:11-13
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
YHWH tries the righteous,
But the unrighteous and him who loves violence his soul hates.
On the unrighteous he will rain snares,
Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.
For YHWH is righteous. He loves righteousness.
The upright shall behold his face.’
The psalmist finishes with a strong contrast between righteousness and unrighteousness. He is confident that YHWH accounts him righteous and so he will trust YHWH to watch over him and ensure that justice is done. ‘YHWH tries the righteous.’ That is, He tries them in order to establish their faithfulness and loyalty, in order that He might then bless them. So what have such to fear? In contrast, however, He tries the unrighteous, those who do not seek to obey His laws, and those who love violence, and He ‘hates’ them (has an aversion to them) because of what He finds. So the psalmist can safely leave his enemies to the judgment of God.
Indeed YHWH will rain snares on the unrighteous, and what they ‘drink’ will be fire and brimstone and a hot, searing wind such as some miserably experience in the desert. That will be their portion. And this must be so because YHWH, Who is Himself righteous, loves righteousness and hates iniquity, rewarding goodness and punishing sin.
Finally he points out that in contrast to those who must drink of YHWH’s anger, the upright look up and see His face. They walk in His presence. And if a man walks in YHWH’s presence why should he fear his foes?
Note the parallel between the upright at whom the wicked shoot their arrows (Psa 11:3), and the upright who walk in His presence and see and behold His face. If we walk with God we should not be surprised that arrows are levelled at us (Eph 6:13). For the wicked hate God and all that is of God.
One final point we must remember. It was because of David’s situation and because of his position that he could not flee. He had been secretly anointed as the successor to Saul. He was a man of authority. He stood in the court for righteousness. Many looked to him for the future, and his destiny was there. It would not have been right for him to leave until he had no alternative, although when that time came he did flee. There are times when discretion is the better part of valour, but there are others where we must stand firm because so much rides on it. And God will help us to decide which applies when. We are not called on to be foolhardy. But we are called on to trust God in all circumstances.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Psa 11:5. The Lord trieth the righteous, &c. The Lord exploreth the righteous and the wicked; and him that loveth false-dealing his soul hateth. Mudge.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
This is a verse of no small importance. Though the Lord is not dealing with his redeemed now under the covenant of grace, as he did with Adam in his original state of innocency, to see what improvement his poor fallen creature can make under ordinances or providences; yet is the Lord trying his people, by the graces he imparts to them in the various processes of afflictions and temptations. And this becomes truly profitable, when a child of God is enabled to gather from it more striking evidences of divine love, and more striking proofs of his own weakness and unworthiness.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
Ver. 5. The Lord trieth the righteous ] Or approveth, as Jas 1:12 ; he justifieth and accepteth him, as appeareth by the opposition here. The Vulgate rendereth it thus: Deus interrogat iustum et impium, sc. quia per interrogatoria veritas dignoscitur: The Lord interrogateth the just and the wicked, sc. that so he may sift out the truth of things. But neither doth the Hebrew word so signify, nor doth God need any such help.
His soul hateth
Hic locus odit, amat, punit, conservat, honorat,
Nequitiam, pacem, crimina, iura, bonos.
the righteous = a righteous one.
His soul = He (emphatic). Hebrew. nephesh. App-13. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6.
trieth: Psa 7:9, Psa 17:3, Psa 26:2, Psa 139:1, Psa 139:23, Psa 139:24, Gen 22:1, Zec 13:9, Mal 3:3, Jam 1:12, 1Pe 1:7, 1Pe 4:12
wicked: Psa 5:4, Psa 5:5, Psa 10:3, Psa 21:8, Pro 6:16-19, Jer 12:8, Zec 11:8
Reciprocal: Gen 6:11 – filled Gen 18:25 – Shall Gen 19:13 – Lord hath Exo 34:7 – that will by no means clear the guilty 1Ki 8:39 – for thou 2Ch 6:30 – thou only Job 20:29 – the portion Job 24:23 – yet his eyes Psa 25:19 – cruel hatred Ecc 8:13 – it shall Isa 3:11 – Woe Jer 20:12 – that Luk 12:46 – and will appoint Rom 2:2 – judgment Rom 3:6 – for then 2Th 2:12 – but Heb 1:9 – loved Rev 8:7 – hail
Psa 11:5. The Lord trieth the righteous God may think fit to try the fidelity of him whom he knows to be upright, by many adversities, that he may afterward give him the more illustrious testimonies of his approbation and love, as well as that he may thereby correct the remaining imperfections of his character, may purge away his dross, and more thoroughly refine him for his Masters use. But the wicked, &c., his soul hateth Whatever success the wicked, and he that delights in doing mischief, may have for the present, it is certain God abhors his conduct, and, unless he repent, he will, without fail, severely punish him for abusing his power to oppression and violent dealing.
The Lord’s testing refers to Him examining the righteous and the wicked. He sets Himself against people who love what He hates, including violence, in opposition to His will.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)