Psalms 11:1
In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Psalm 11's historical setting remains debated, though the superscription attributes it to David. The language of fleeing to mountains and foundations being destroyed suggests a time of severe threat—perhaps Saul's persecution (1 Samuel 19-26) when David lived as a fugitive, or Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 15-18) when David fled Jerusalem. In either case, David faced mortal danger with counselors urging escape.
Ancient Israel's geography made mountains natural refuges. The Judean wilderness contained countless caves and strongholds where fugitives could hide. David knew these places intimately from his shepherd days and fugitive years. En Gedi, Adullam's cave, the wilderness of Ziph—all provided temporary safety. Yet the psalm rejects this refuge in favor of trusting God.
The tension between human wisdom and faith appears throughout David's life. When facing Goliath, Israel's warriors counseled retreat; David trusted God (1 Samuel 17). When Saul hunted him, advisors suggested killing Saul when opportunity arose; David refused, trusting God's timing (1 Samuel 24, 26). When Absalom rebelled, military strategy might have suggested immediate counterattack; David waited for God's deliverance.
For the early church facing persecution, this psalm provided powerful encouragement. When Roman authorities demanded Christians flee or recant, many chose David's response: "In the Lord put I my trust." Martyrs throughout history have echoed this verse, refusing to flee when flight would mean abandoning faith. The psalm doesn't condemn prudent withdrawal (Jesus counseled fleeing persecution, Matthew 10:23), but rejects panic-driven abandonment of trust in God.
Questions for Reflection
- What situations in your life tempt you to 'flee to the mountain' rather than trust God's protection where He has placed you?
- How can you distinguish between prudent withdrawal from danger and faithless flight that demonstrates lack of trust in God?
- What well-meaning but faithless counsel have you received that contradicted trusting God's promises?
- How does emphatic placement of 'In the LORD' (not circumstances, not human wisdom, not self-effort) challenge where you actually place functional trust?
- What mountains (security measures, escape plans, self-protection strategies) do you instinctively flee to instead of trusting God?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? This psalm opens with David's bold declaration of trust in the face of urgent counsel to flee. The Hebrew construction places "In the LORD" (baYahweh, בַּיהוָה) in emphatic position—trust is not merely in God generically, but specifically in Yahweh, Israel's covenant-keeping God who has proven faithful throughout redemptive history.
"Put I my trust" (chasiti, חָסִיתִי) uses the Hebrew chasah, meaning to seek refuge, take shelter, flee for protection. This word appears throughout Psalms describing believers finding safety in God (Psalm 2:12, 7:1, 16:1). The perfect tense indicates completed action with ongoing effect: "I have placed my trust and continue trusting." This isn't momentary confidence but settled conviction.
"How say ye to my soul" expresses David's bewilderment at counselors urging flight. Well-meaning advisors—perhaps during Saul's persecution or Absalom's rebellion—counsel escape. Their advice seems practical, but David recognizes it fundamentally contradicts trust in God. "Flee as a bird to your mountain" paints the picture of a small bird instinctively fleeing to mountain crags for safety. The image suggests panic-driven self-preservation rather than confident faith in divine protection.
The verse establishes the psalm's central tension: human wisdom advocating self-preservation versus faith that trusts God's protection. David's rhetorical question isn't genuine inquiry but firm rejection. For believers, similar tensions arise constantly—when circumstances scream "flee," faith responds "trust." The question isn't whether dangers are real but whether God is sufficient.