“If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?”
Parallel translations
- WEB If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
- KJV If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
- BSB If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
- NKJV If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?
- NLT The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? The verse names the crisis when moral order itself seems to collapse.
Overview
This much-discussed verse voices the despair that arises when the foundations of justice and society crumble. Faithful readers differ on whether it is the fearful counselor's complaint or David's own grave question. Either way, the answer follows in the next verses: God remains enthroned, so the righteous can still trust Him when all else falls.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ps 82:5They don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
- 2 Tim 2:19However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
- Isa 58:12Those who shall be of you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Paths with Dwellings.
- Ps 75:3The earth and all its inhabitants quake. I firmly hold its pillars. Selah.
- Acts 4:24–33When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, “O Lord, you are God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;
- 2 Kgs 19:13–18Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?”’”
- 2 Chr 32:13–15Don’t you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand?
- Dan 3:15–18Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, good: but if you don’t worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the middle of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands?
- Neh 6:10–12I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night will they come to kill you.”
- Dan 6:10–28When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.
- John 11:8–10The disciples told him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”
- Acts 4:5–12In the morning, their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem.
- Jer 26:11–15Then spoke the priests and the prophets to the princes and to all the people, saying, “This man is worthy of death; for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.”
- 2 Kgs 22:12–14The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 11:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.