Psalm 11
How should you and I respond when lawful authority seems to be in jeopardy? Here in our own country there are cries to “defund the police.” Put into effect in 1789, the United States Constitution is “the world’s longest surviving written charter of government.”[i] But almost every time the Supreme Court is in session, our U.S. Constitution seems to be in jeopardy.
President Joe Biden has openly admitted that some of his actions are probably not constitutional.[ii] This despite the fact that he gave his oath, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”[iii]
In Exodus 7:23, we read about the heard-hearted response of the chief governmental executive, Pharaoh, when the Nile, the lifeblood of his nation, turned to blood. “And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also” (Exodus 7:23). And over and over again we have watched our chief executive turn and walk away from crucial questions from both conservative and liberal correspondents.[iv]
On this Sunday before Thanksgiving in these United States, these issues are very much on our minds. When we recognize that the foundational principles of our nation are in jeopardy, what should we do? How should we respond?
Many are trouncing our president with vulgarity, but as believers, we should approach these issues with Biblical clarity. With these questions in mind, let us also examine the larger questions: What will cause someone to be fearful? And what will cause someone to be faithful and yes, even thankful in these days?
What does all this have to do with Psalm 11? One commentator summarized the psalm this way: “Resisting the temptation to flee at a time when the destruction of lawful authority seems imminent, the psalmist holds fast to his faith in the LORD who loves righteousness and will ultimately destroy the wicked.”[v]
“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily [secretly]shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. The LORD tries the righteous: but the wicked and him that loves violence his soul hates. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loves righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.”
The Historical Setting
We don’t know the exact circumstances under which David wrote this psalm. He could have been fleeing from his murderous predecessor, King Saul. It might have been that he was avoiding his treacherous son, Absalom. In any case, his country was in an uproar. Sound familiar? Some people gave David fearful advice (vs. 1-3). But David responded with faithful, God-honoring advice (vs. 4-7). Best of all for us today, he set his response to music in this glorious psalm, that should be sung by the faithful through all the fearful generations. Let’s face our fears by faith.
The Psalmists’ Approach
The sons of Korah gave us an interesting insight into the construction of the psalms in Psalm 49:4. They wrote, “I will incline mine ear to a parable [riddle]: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.”
When you read Psalm 49 carefully, you find that people were fearful of unscrupulous hyper-wealthy people. These prosperous pagans seem to have all the advantages, cheating their fellow citizens. Psalm 49 can help you when you fear that people are growing wealthy by selling information about you. The sons of Korah confronted these problems and resolved the riddle with a psalm. And this psalm was designed to be sung throughout all generations as they faced the same problems.
If Your Foundations Can Be Destroyed, You Will Be Fearful, vs. 1-3
In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily [secretly]shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:1-3)
Locate Your Trust
David began this psalm with the words, “In the Lord put I my trust!” Have you made this profession of faith? Have you placed your trust in the finished work of the One who is trustworthy?
The Lord Jesus, the Faithful and True Witness, demonstrated His trustworthiness by all that He endured at human hands. Jesus knew that mankind had rebelled against God by sinning against Him. He knew that the wages – the just reward – for our sin is death. So God became a man and endured death itself after a crucial testing on the cross. He rose again the third day to prove His trustworthiness. Today, you and I have the opportunity to trust Him and say with David, “In the Lord put I my trust!”
In God the Lord I put my trust, while others flee from men, unjust. They say to me, “Flee as a bird.” but I believe God’s Holy Word.
Face your fears by faith.
Learn to Recognize Others’ Mistrust
David professed his faith; others only professed their fears. And they pressed these fear upon David saying, “Flee as a bird to your mountain!” They were saying, “Run away! Go to your hiding place where no one can find you!” David asked, “Why are you saying this?!”
Scholars have two different viewpoints on these verses. Some say that only the first verse is a quote from the fearful. Others say that the first three verses quoted the fearful. I would agree with the second group. In other words, the fearful expressed their reasons to be fearful. “People are aiming at us!” “They are secretly planning to make us the targets of their deceit!”
The conspiracy theorists of today make much out of the secret, violent plans of others. They would agree that their foundation is in jeopardy, and their foundation is the United States Constitution. They are asking, “If the foundations of our civil society were destroyed, what could righteous people do?” So, many echo these fearful statements today. But you and I must use Scripture to see this mistrust for what it is: misplaced trust. Our trust is not in the Constitution of America, it is in the Almighty Christ, the central figure of the Revelation (Revelation 1:7-8). Our Savior is our Sovereign. When people complain about the fumbling nature of our federal government, point them to the faithful nature of God the Father.
Those wicked shoot their arrows dark at those who stand, upright in heart. If our foundation they destroy, where do we stand? Where is our joy?
During these trying times we have endured a toxic mix of pandemics and politics. And by all indications, there is more to come. If you were trusting that your land was a “land of peace” (Jeremiah 12:5), then your faith has failed you. It’s time to recognize your misplaced trust. There will be no end to the frightful advice of the fearful. But Psalm 11 leads us to a more excellent way: learn to be faithful.
Since You Have a Foundation Which Cannot Be Destroyed, You Can Be Faithful, vs. 4-7
“The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men. The LORD tries the righteous: but the wicked and him that loves violence his soul hates. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loves righteousness; His countenance doth behold the upright.” (Psalm 11:4-7)
- The Believer’s Faithful Foundation: The Enthroned Lord in Heaven, v.4
“The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven:”
The believer’s trust is in the Lord, not the land. We trust that the Sovereign Lord is “ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine” as we sing in the Thanksgiving hymn, “We Gather Together.” He is our Holy (meaning “separate”) Creator; everything else is His creation. Our only real foundation is our Holy Lord and His promises to us. On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued his Thanksgiving proclamation. In it, he included these words, “I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”[vi] Lincoln made this proclamation during the Civil War. In this time of civil unrest in our country, let us proclaim the Lord, enthroned in Heaven, as our only worthy foundation. Face your fears with faith in your Heavenly Father.
- The Believer’s Faithful Foundation: The Lord tests the righteous, v. 5
“His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men. The LORD tries the righteous…”
The next phrase explains something for us. Why are we having to endure this? Why can’t things just be normal? (Whatever “normal” is!) The fact is that God is testing His people.
“I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them…” (Ezekiel 11:5). May it be said of us as it was said of good King Asa, “And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:” (2 Chronicles 14:2).
It is a common temptation to try to excuse one’s disobedience by dwelling on the disobedience of others. But we are called to do that which is right in the eyes of Him who tests all things. He knows our methods. He alone knows our motives. Let us be faithful through every test.
Our Lord, enthroned in heaven bright, tests righteous men with perfect sight. Those who love violence shall see, His fiery hatred eternally.
- The Believer’s Faithful Foundation: The Lord will punish the wicked, vs. 5-6
“…but the wicked and him that loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.”
It is common to refer to the Lord as the Lord of love. But these verses are explicit: the Lord hates those who love violence.
The psalmist reminds his readers that the Lord rains down coals of fire, sulfur and a scorching wind on the wicked – and He will do so again. A recent study of the region around Biblical Sodom made several findings about the site. It found that it is likely that an exploding meteor produced a white hot airburst[vii] about 2 ½ miles above the city. The resulting blast was 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. “Air temperatures rapidly rose above 3,600 degrees … Clothing and wood immediately burst into flames. Swords, spears, mudbricks and pottery began to melt. Almost immediately, the entire city was on fire. Seconds after the blast, a shockwave ripped through the city at a speed of roughly 740 miles per hour—faster than the worst tornado ever recorded. The cities’ buildings were reduced to foundations and rubble.”[viii]
The Lord will punish the wicked, as He has before. This is “the portion of their cup” meaning this will be their lot in life. This is foundational to our faith.
- The Believer’s Faithful Foundation: The Lord loves righteousness and His face shines upon the righteous. v.7
“For the righteous LORD loves righteousness; His countenance doth behold the upright.”
The Lord loves those righteous deeds which conform to His standard of righteousness. The Lord’s face is against the wicked, but He revels in His upright children. And one day, we will see Him face to face! This certainty is the foundation for our faithfulness. This is how we face our fears by faith.
In God the Lord I put my trust
While others flee from men, unjust
They say to me, “Flee as a bird”
But I believe God’s Holy Word
Those wicked shoot their arrows dark
At those who stand, upright in heart
If our foundation they destroy
Where do we stand? Where is our joy?
Our Lord enthroned in heaven bright
Tests righteous men with perfect sight
Those who love violence shall see
His fiery hatred eternally
Our righteous Lord loves righteousness
His righteous ones the Lord will bless
By faith in Christ, they know His grace
Shall see their Savior face to face.
(This poem could be sung to the tune of “Sun of My Soul” (Hursley))
Pastor Gordon Dickson, Calvary Baptist Church, Findlay, Ohio www.cbcfindlay.org
[i] Constitution Day, United States Senate, accessed at https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/ConstitutionDay.htm#:~:text=Written%20in%201787%2C%20ratified%20in,exists%20to%20serve%20its%20citizens.
[ii] Kaylee McGee White, “Biden admits he is proudly and deliberately breaking the law” Washington Examiner, August 4, 2021, accessed at https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/biden-admits-he-is-proudly-and-deliberately-breaking-the-law
[iii] Inauguration of the President of the United States, accessed at https://www.usa.gov/inauguration#:~:text=the%20U.S.%20Constitution%3A-,%22I%20do%20solemnly%20swear%20(or%20affirm)%20that%20I%20will,Constitution%20of%20the%20United%20States.%22
[iv] See David Rutz, “Biden repeatedly walked away from reporters’ questions during the Afghanistan crisis”, Fox News, accessed at https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden-repeatedly-walked-away-from-reporters-questions-during-afghanistan-crisis
[v] Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms 1–89: Commentary, vol. 1, Kregel Exegetical Library (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2011–2013), 337.
[vi] Abraham Lincoln, Proclamation of Thanksgiving, October 3, 1863, accessed at http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm
[vii] Airbursts, accessed at https://www.earthdate.org/node/153
[viii] Livia Gershon, citing Christopher R. Moore, “Ancient City’s Destruction by Exploding Space Rock May Have Inspired Biblical Story of Sodom,” Smithsonian Magazine, September 22, 2021, accessed at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/destruction-of-city-by-space-rock-may-have-inspired-biblical-story-of-sodom-180978734/