Every believer who attended at least one service heard the texts of the psalms. They are very widely used in Orthodox services. The Psalter is a biblical book of pious hymns. There are 150 of them in total, each is a complete work (although some have a common theme). Psalm 11 is included in the second kathisma. It was written by King David during difficult times for him. Quite short in scope, but has a deep meaning.
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Text of prayer Psalm 11
In Church Slavonic with accents
Divine services in churches are usually conducted in Church Slavonic or Old Church Slavonic. This traditional performance of the psalms brings worshipers closer to God:
1 Finally, O oss, a psalm to David
2 Save me, Lord, for the saint has become poor, for he has lost the truth from the sons of men.
3 A vain verb, every one to his own sincerity, a flattering verb in the heart, and an evil verb in the heart.
4 The Lord will require all flattering lips and lofty tongues,
5: Let us magnify our tongue, our lips are ours, who is our Lord?
6 For the sake of the poor and the groaning of the needy, I will now rise again, says the Lord, I will rely on salvation, I will not be offended about it...
7 The words of the Lord are pure, the silver is kindled, the earth is tempted, the word of the seven is purified.
8 You, O Lord, have preserved us and kept us from this generation and forever.
9 Around wickedness walk, the sons of men have multiplied according to your height.
In Russian
Not every time a believer can come to church, but turning to the Lord is always available to him. He can pray at home, that is, privately. For a deeper insight into the essence of Psalm 11 and the opportunity to convey your words to God, you can read it in Russian:
1 To fulfillment, about the eighth day. Psalm of David.
2 Save [me], O Lord, for the righteous is no more, for there is none faithful among the sons of men.
3 Every man speaks a lie to his neighbor; flattering lips speak from a feigned heart.
4 The Lord will destroy all flattering lips and lofty tongues,
5 those who say: “We will overcome with our tongue, our mouth will be with us; Who is our master?
6 Because of the suffering of the poor and the sighing of the needy, I will now arise, says the Lord, and I will place in safety the one whom they want to catch.
7 The words of the Lord are pure words, silver purified from the earth in a furnace, refined seven times.
8 You, O Lord, will preserve them; you will preserve them from this generation forever.
9 The wicked walk everywhere, while the lowliest of the sons of men have become exalted.
Liturgical application of Psalm 11
Solemn hymns dedicated to the relationship between God and man are of great importance not only in Christianity, but also in Judaism. Many people tend to forget that in the original they were written not in Greek (from which the Slavic Bible was translated), but in Hebrew. The Jews adopted a slightly different numbering than in the Greek and Russian versions.
Among the famous Qumran manuscripts, 39 scrolls are excerpts from the Psalter. Every day, devout Jews read a certain number of psalms and use the texts at prayer meetings in synagogues. In ancient times, hymns were performed only by priests - Levites, this happened to musical accompaniment (in fact, the psalter is nothing more than a stringed instrument like the harp). The reading of psalms is also included in the services of the Byzantine rite:
- Vespers - begins with Psalm 103, then 1st Kathisma is read (including Psalm 11). At the next service, the next kathisma is heard, and so, over time, all the verses of Solomon are read.
- At Matins, repentant lines from the biblical book are heard, colloquially called the Six Psalms. This is followed by two or three kathismas depending on the church year.
- The Hours, Compline, and Midnight Office consist almost entirely of poetic hymns.
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For convenience of liturgical use in the Orthodox Church, the entire book is divided into 20 parts (kathisma), each of which in turn contains 3 parts (articles, or glory). One kathisma includes up to 9 psalms. In their frequent prayer life, believers use Psalm 11 in both Church Slavonic and Russian. This often facilitates understanding, without which it is impossible to fully pray.
Mechanical repetition of text does not benefit a person. To better understand the content, you should pay attention to the circumstances in which this psalm was written.
History of writing
Researchers believe that the text of Psalm 11, full of despair and prayer addressed to God, was written during David’s wanderings after his flight from King Saul. History says that David came to Saul as a servant who was supposed to please the king’s ears with songs in order to pacify his melancholy and anger.
However, Saul, perceiving the young singer of psalms, whom the people loved, as his rival and contender for the kingdom, repeatedly attempted to kill him. The situation became so dangerous that David was forced to flee and wander. He hid in deserts and caves, hiding from the king's troops.
In Psalm 11, David turns to the Lord, prays and cries out for help. In the song, he talks about the suffering that he has endured for a long time from the wicked. They themselves are the sources of spreading false rumors about him and slander him for no reason.
The song is believed to have been written during a period of extreme despair and extreme suffering. In a few verses, he conveys the horror of what is happening, when innocent people are persecuted and expelled, and the moral foundations of the people are shaken! If you read Psalm 11 in Russian, which is more understandable and close to the modern believer, you can understand the depth of the tragedy of an innocent suffering person.
Theme of Psalm 11
The confrontation between David and Saul is a well-known plot of sacred history. The Lord, who first chose Saul as his anointed one, later turned away from him. A new king was found in the person of a modest and kind young shepherd. Virtues, strength and closeness to God earned him such popularity among the people that Saul did not have. He was very jealous and one day, during a peaceful meal, he threw a spear at the young man, making an attempt on his life in front of everyone.
After such an act, David had no choice but to flee. He was forced to hide from his pursuer until he died during the battle. At the same time, David repeatedly made attempts to reconcile with Saul, because he was married to his daughter. Several times he even had the opportunity to physically destroy his opponent, but did not do this, because he sacredly honored God’s covenants.
So, being persecuted by his own relative and former friend, in Psalm 11 David turns to his Creator:
- Enemies have been pursuing him for a long time, which oppresses the young man, because he has done nothing wrong. They not only want his physical death, but also spread slander throughout the country. Therefore, the future king complains that there is no longer justice on earth, lies and wickedness flourish.
- The theme continues in the next two chapters of the holy book. Seeing the unrighteous acts that people do, David is fully aware of his spiritual poverty before the Almighty. Of course, petition and hope are expressed here.
- The psalmist calls for help from the Creator, as the only one who is capable of fair judgment.
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The firm belief is expressed that God will not allow the wicked to win, he will definitely intercede for the righteous. After all, you can always rely on the word of God unconditionally; it does not lose its relevance despite all the machinations of the enemies, even if for some time they found themselves in a winning position.
- Psalm 34 - text in Russian;
- Look here Psalm 118 in Russian;
- Psalm 37 - text in Russian: .
Why is Psalm 11 read?
To understand why Psalm 11 is read, you need to familiarize yourself with its contents. When despair overcomes a person, it seems that strength is running out, and the current life circumstances seem insoluble, you need to turn to the Lord with a prayer, reading the lines of the prayer.
When doing private reading at home, you need to pray indoors without the presence of other people, freed from everyday thoughts. Prayer takes place in front of an icon depicting the face of Jesus Christ. It’s good if a lamp is burning in front of him.
You need to read Psalm 11 quietly and calmly, without strain, delving into every word, passing it through your heart.
Psalms are very powerful prayers. But you shouldn’t think that all problems will be solved at once and a miracle will happen. The Lord will hear requests and prayers and fulfill them at the appointed time.
Reading rules
The Lord is reverent in all his deeds, giving what the sufferer needs. This means that he should also be rewarded for grace, for which the rules of prayer are observed:
- the sacred text is read in a low voice; if there are people nearby, you can say the words of prayer to yourself;
- Before reading or listening to a psalm, you need to prepare: light a lamp or candle, this will give results - fire helps strengthen the connection with the Lord;
- distance themselves from painful thoughts;
- the prayer rule is first fulfilled;
- when the reading is completed, they offer thanks to the Almighty;
- if possible, it is better to read the text while standing, but when reciting psalms from kathismas it is permissible to sit, this will not be a sin;
- when reading different versions of the psalm, the level of understanding of the content of the text will be different, since song 11 is sung in different languages, but this is not a sin, it is permissible to pronounce the text without understanding the deeper meaning, if there is faith in God, then the level of love for him is constant rises.
Interpretation
The song carries a great meaning, talking about suffering from the lies and hatred of others. Turning to the Lord with a prayer is an opportunity to gain strength and find God’s protection. The interpretation reveals the deep meaning of Psalm 11.
- Verses 1-2: These tell us about the situation in which David had to find himself. He was constantly faced with injustice, coming not only from Saul’s associates, but also from ordinary people. Not finding a single righteous person among them and weakened by constant persecution, David turned his prayers to the Lord.
- Verses 3-5: the story of those who surrounded the singer. His fate is indifferent to them, and the difficult situation and lack of sympathy from those around him oppress David. It’s hard for him to live among those who wish him death, lie and pretend. At the same time, they hope that the Lord will punish those who speak arrogant, lying language and will become the defense of the offended and innocently persecuted.
- Verses 6-9: This is a direct appeal to the Lord for protection and salvation. David believes that only God is the mercy and protection of any righteous person. Faith in God's protection helps to overcome difficulties, believing in the salvation and mercy of the Lord. The singer asks the Lord to give him strength to overcome the machinations of the unrighteous.
David in his prayer makes it clear to believers that in any, even the most difficult situations, and even in life-threatening situations, God will definitely protect the believer.
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Question-answer section
In order to correctly place the emphasis, find out the meaning of the prayer, and understand the hidden meanings of individual words and phrases, you need to approach the monk in church or on an Orthodox resource.
What should we remember when reading Psalm David 11?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“When they turn to God with a request to protect them from slanderers, to give them strength to survive betrayal, to accept the nature of people, it is important not to exalt themselves at the same time. Every person is a sinner, and only the Lord can judge others. You will teach and give advice to the wicked, when you yourself are cleansed, you will become like the Most High Father, like Jesus, the Son of God, and many disciples following him, Saint John Chrysostom, the prophet David. An ordinary person with his sins needs to ask for protection, but not to ask for punishment for the wicked - the Lord has seen them and is already preparing punishment. But one who has suffered from the attacks of sinners will not be cleansed if he condemns his offenders.”
Psalm of David 11 - what does reading it give?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“First of all, the psalms written by David or another prophet or theologian help to learn how to pray correctly, give knowledge of how to behave in different situations so as not to harm the soul and not warm up the wicked God. In addition, if you listen to Psalm 11 of David online at home in church or read it, you can strengthen your aspiration to the Almighty and better understand the words that are spoken in the Bible." .
Psalm of David 11 – for what purpose is it read?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“The eleventh canto encourages the discouraged, who sees a lot of injustice around. You can find comfort and protection by reading this psalm and gain strength.” .
Psalm of David 11 – who usually reads it?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“Today the psalms are read in church or at home; anyone can open the Bible and find in it the answer to their questions. But most of all, Psalm 11, the text of the prayer in Russian, helps those who have lost heart because of the injustice they have encountered.”
Psalm of David 11 – when was it written?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“No one will name the exact date, as in other cases (with other psalms). But there are indirect indications of the time period when this could have happened. The prophet wrote a sacred song during persecution from Saul. It is believed that this could have happened during the persecution of David’s son, but the facts do not add up, and therefore this possibility is denied.”
What does scripture teach?
Expert opinion
Father Innocent
“Psalm 11 instructs us to correctly ask the Lord, also the Saints, and the Mother of God for help: to give strength, to enter into the heart, to strengthen the spirit and body. But one should not increase lawlessness in this way, praying for the destruction of the offenders. The All-Forgiving Mother of God, Jesus, her Son, prays to the Lord for the forgiveness of sins; the Almighty in the Trinity also accepts sinners who have been cleansed. This means that believers must forgive. This is precisely what is learned when reading the Psalms.”
