The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh examines the righteous, but the wicked and him who loves violence his soul hates.
- BSB The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked; His soul hates the lover of violence.
- NKJV The Lord tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.
- NASB The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, And His soul hates one who loves violence.
- NLT The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence.
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
Yahweh examines the righteous but hates the wicked and those who love violence. God discerns hearts and opposes those who delight in evil.
Overview
God tests and refines the righteous while His soul hates the violent. This is not arbitrary but the holy God's settled opposition to wickedness. The verse holds together God's loving scrutiny of His people and His righteous hatred of evil, both flowing from His perfect justice and holiness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Prov 6:16–19These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
- Jas 1:12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
- Ps 7:9Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
- Gen 22:1And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
- Ps 5:4–5For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
- Ps 21:8Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
- 1 Pet 1:7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
- Ps 26:2Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
- Ps 139:23–24Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
- Ps 10:3For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.
- 1 Pet 4:12Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
- Ps 139:1O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
- Zech 13:9And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
- Zech 11:8Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
- Ps 17:3Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
- Jer 12:8Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it.
- Mal 3:3And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
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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 11:5 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.