A Study in Psalms - Vol. II; No. 7

A Study in Psalms - Psalm 11

Psalm 11

For the director of music. Of David.

¹In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
"Flee like a bird to your mountain.
²For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
³When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?"

⁴The LORD is in His holy temple;
the LORD is on His heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men;
His eyes examine them.
⁵The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence His soul hates.
⁶On the wicked He will rain fiery coals and burning sulphur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.

⁷For the LORD is righteous, He loves justice;
upright men will see His face.

This psalm is a statement of David's faith: faith that God is righteous, faith that God will protect the righteous and judge the wicked, faith in the midst of a world that discourages such faith. In this psalm, David first demonstrates his faith in God's protection (vv. 1-3); then he describes how God demonstrates His righteousness (vv. 4-7).

Faith Amidst the Doubting

We say we have faith in God, but when tested, how does our faith stand up? Do we crumble at the first sign of affliction? Does our faith remain strong, even when our friends are saying that we're crazy? Where do you flee when your faith is tested? To "your mountain"? Or to your prayer closet?

David lived a life full of testings. As a shepherd, he was attacked by lions and bears (I Sam. 17:37); he, in faith, battled Goliath (I Sam. 17:45ff); he was pursued to the death by the king of Israel, Saul (I Sam. 19-31), sparing Saul's life twice when he had opportunity to kill him (I Sam. 24; I Sam. 26). As king, David faced civil wars (II Sam. 3), angry Philistines (II Sam. 5), and a rebellious son bent on killing him (II Sam. 13). David's was a tested faith.

What good would an untested faith be, anyway? An untested faith is an unproven faith. Many say that they believe in God, that they trust in God, but mere words mean nothing. Faith, to be discerned, must be tested; and faith, to be tested, must bear affliction. We learn the extent of our faith by seeing how well it stands up under affliction. A strictly fair-weather faith is no faith at all.

One of the best ways to demonstrate our faith is to trust in God. Trust in God is essential for a child of God. What child distrusts his own father? We should run to Him when affliction comes; we should listen to Him, not others, in times of trouble. This is what David does. He says unequivocally: "In the LORD I take refuge."

In spite of David's stated faith, he is advised to "flee like a bird to [his] mountain." David is upset at this advice. He says, in effect, "Knowing my trust in God, how can you suggest such a thing?" Note that David was not angry at the advice because he was afraid of being labeled a coward; he feared more being charged with distrust of God.

We are not told who gave David this advice. Quite possibly, it came from his friends and allies. The best of friends are capable of giving the worst advice. For example, Peter, when Christ told of His death and resurrection, took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him, saying: "Never, Lord!... This shall never happen to You" (Matt. 16:22). Christ's response was: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me." Peter, in giving his advice, had the best of intentions, but his advice was wrong. We must test all advice, even that from Christians. Temptations to distrust God are common. Satan strives for God's children to lose confidence in their heavenly Father, and so he uses whom he can to plants seeds of doubt in believers' minds. David's advisors try to get him to forsake his best source of defense: His faith in God. Our faith is our best defense. We are told by Paul to "take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one" (Eph. 6:16). When the "flaming arrows" fly, we do not need a place to flee, but a stronger faith, more trust in God.

The advisor, as incentive to flee, appraises the situation: "For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart." David was facing a grim situation, and so David's trust in God was well demonstrated. His was not an unchallenged faith. The danger was imminent (the bows were bent, arrows drawn), an ambush (the enemy was shooting from the shadows), aimed at the undefended (the upright in heart were targeted). The magnitude of the opposition proved the magnitude of the faith. Such faith amidst such opposition provides an example for us, who fail in faith under the lightest of affliction.

In addition to the imminent danger, the advisor warns of the dangerous climate in general: "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Iniquity and injustice were apparently widespread. The advisor, viewing the moral fabric of society as "the foundation", sees no hope for the righteous. We, in these times, see the same thing. We witness the eroding of morality in society, we see a decline in faith, and we wonder: "What can I do? Where can I flee?"

The advisor speaks truth: "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?"; however, he errs (as many do today) in his selection of "foundations". What is the true foundation? Is it a moral society, a God-fearing government, a Bible-believing church? No. Our correct estimation of the situation requires a correct selection of "foundations". The true foundation is the Rock of our salvation, the Lord God Almighty. Anyone who builds on any less of a foundation builds on shaky ground. Yes, "when the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?", but the true foundation is everlasting, ever-present, unwavering, undefeated, and indestructible.

The True Foundation

David responds by describing the true foundation: "The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne." The advisor sees only the external conditions--a declining morality, a corrupt society, an apostate community--and so he asks, "What can the righteous do?" David answers this question succinctly and completely: "The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne." The advisor's view of the situation is based on fear and a lack of trust that God is in control. David's view is based on faith and trust in God. Fear is short-sighted, seeing only the external circumstances; faith considers God and His end. The advisor's recommendations are based upon his inability to see what is unseen. David's response shows that he sees the unseen hand of God, heeds the unheard word of the Lord. The advisor, no doubt, considered David foolish for not fleeing, but the advice David followed came from the Lord "in His holy temple" and "on His heavenly throne."

The two locations of the Lord--"His holy temple" and "His heavenly throne"--reveal the reason that David trusts in Him. The temple is where God meets with man. Men, in David's time, gained access to God through the rites and sacrifices as prescribed in the law and carried out in the temple. We gain access to God through the sacrifice of Christ, who makes atonement for our sins. Christ, in this sense, is for us the Lord "in His holy temple." So, one reason that David trusts in the Lord is because of the relationship that he can have with God due to the temple sacrifices.

The other location of the Lord cited by David, "His heavenly throne", reveals the second reason that David trusts in Him: He reigns. God is Lord over all. He reigns even over those who do not acknowledge His Lordship. He reigns over events that seem out of control. However, He does not rashly react to troubling situations, as man does. In His time, He deals with all situations and all participants.

As David says, "He observes the sons of men; His eyes examine them." In "examining" them, He considers them carefully and patiently. He examines their actions and their motives, the fruit of their lives and the attitudes of their hearts, taking everything into account. God's knowledge of the doings of man is perfect, and so, He can perfectly differentiate between the righteous and the wicked. And in the end, He recompenses each appropriately. "On the wicked, He will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur." He has done so in the past (see Gen. 19:24), and He will do so again (see Ezek. 38:22; Rev. 14:10). Make no mistake: God's judgment upon the wicked is real and horrible. The Bible depicts it as such unambiguously.

Such judgment will come upon the wicked, "for the LORD is righteous" and "He loves justice." The coming judgment of God upon the wicked is not due to some morbid desire by God to cause suffering, but is due to His righteous and holy character. God cannot, because of His righteousness, allow the wicked to go forever unpunished. At the same time, judgment is God's "strange work" and "alien task" (Isa. 28:21). He does not desire that any face the fire of His wrath. Therefore, God has gone to great lengths to spare sinful men from His wrath. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us "in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us" (Rom. 8:4). In doing so, He provided a way for even the wicked to be declared righteous, that is, by accepting Christ's sacrifice for their own sins. And so, God's righteous judgment is satisfied by His wrath being poured out upon one righteous man, in the stead of millions of sinful men. It is these "upright men" (who were made "upright" through the acceptance of Christ's sacrifice for them) who, as David says, "will see His face." This is the eternal reward for which all Christians are waiting: to dwell in the presence of the Lord Most High, imputed with the righteousness of Christ, and thus, able to bear the holiness of God.

Yes, Lord, we anxiously wait for that day, when we will see You in all Your glory and embark upon an eternal journey living in Your presence. May this day come soon! Send Your Son, as You promised many times, to gather Your people and bring them home. Until then, by Your Spirit, help us to imitate the faith of David, who, in the direst of straits, was able to put his trust in You. We ask these things in the name of Your Son, who made it possible for us to see Your face, Amen.

(Our study in the Psalms will continue in the next issue)