Poetry · Chapter
On the Eleventh Psalm explained
A poetic meditation on the scarcity of good and honest people, the hypocrisy of flattering speech, and the divine promise to protect the humble and oppressed.
What happens
A poetic meditation on the scarcity of good and honest people, the hypocrisy of flattering speech, and the divine promise to protect the humble and oppressed. The speaker contrasts the proud boasts of the wicked with the purified, enduring word of God, which will be scattered to inspire faith in miracles among the poor and lowly.
Themes in this chapter
Faith and Hypocrisy
The poem contrasts honey-sweet, deceitful words of the wicked with the pure, tested word of God, highlighting the hypocrisy of those who boast in intellect and speech while setting snares for others.
Social Injustice and Class
The Lord's promise to glorify the 'poor and humble ones' and to set His word on guard about 'little, dumb and slaves' underscores the theme of divine justice for the oppressed and marginalized.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The speaker who laments the lack of good folk and calls upon God to intervene.
Key passages
“Merciful God, how few Good folk remain on earth. Behold, each one in heart Is setting snares for another. But with fine words, And lips honey-sweet They kiss—and wait To see how soon Their brother to his grave Will find his way.”
The speaker laments the scarcity of righteous people, observing that everyone secretly plots against others while using flattering words to hide their malice until they can bring about their downfall.
This opening sets the tone of moral decay and hypocrisy that pervades human society.
“Like silver, hammered, beaten, Seven times melted o’er the fire, Are thy words, Oh Lord. Scatter these holy words of Thine, O’er all the earth, That Thy children little and poor May believe in miracles on earth.”
God's words are pure and refined through intense testing, like silver purified seven times. The speaker prays that these holy words be spread everywhere so that the humble and impoverished may have faith in divine miracles.
The imagery of refined metal emphasizes the purity and enduring power of divine truth, contrasted with the perishable boasts of the wicked.