Trust When Troubled

(1) In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
(2) For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
(3) If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
(4) The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
(5) The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
(6) Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
(7) For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.
--Psalm 11 KJV Bible

Psalm 11, written by David, is a song of trust in the midst of trouble. It has been suggested that the psalm recalls an actual event in David's past--possibly one of the times when Saul tried to kill David, though David gave no cause for Saul's actions. Examples of such events would include 1 Samuel 18:11 and 1 Samuel 19:10, two occasions when Saul tried to pin David to the wall with a spear, but David managed to escape. Another example is in 1 Samuel 23:13, when Saul tried to kill David and his army of about six hundred while they were in Keilah. In this instance, David defeated Philistines who were occupying Keilah, but was still able to leave in time, at God's instruction, before Saul's army could arrive. And another example is in 1 Samuel 26:20, when David confronted Saul, who was chasing David, and convinced Saul to allow David to depart in peace.

In verses 1 through 3 David is faced with the temptation to flee when he should take a stand for God. In verse 1 David is apparently advised by well-meaning counsel to run away and hide because the danger seems too great to survive. The use of "foundations" in verse 3 is a reference to the basic foundations of faith--piety, justice, fidelity, and mercy--which translate to the basic foundations of society--law, order, morality, and goodness. David asks that if the foundations are allowed to be destroyed, what can the righteous do then to fix the whole?

In verses 4 through 7 David expresses his faith in the Lord, who will destroy the wicked and deliver the righteous. The "eyelids" reference in verse 4 is thought to be verbal imagery of the Lord squinting--narrowing His eyes as He scrutinizes the hearts of men. The "snares" mentioned in verse 6 may be a reference to burning coals or some other trap being dropped on the heads of the wicked. In verse 7 David reaffirms that whatever their circumstances, God is always watching the righteous.

O God, when I am tempted to take the easy way out, help me to stand. Remind me that even when no one else is there, You are always watching.

-

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lamentations 3:22-23 – Even Through the Bad, God is Faithful

Image
The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. --Lamentations 3:22-23 NASB The most significant thing about this wonderful passage is where we find it in the Bible. The Book of Lamentations tells of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, which took place over 587 and 586 BC when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar overran the city. The surviving inhabitants either fled to other countries, were carried away to Babylon as slaves or remained under the brutal rule of an occupying force. Lamentations does not name its author, but it is generally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah. For many years Jeremiah had warned the people and their leaders about their unfaithfulness to God. Jeremiah knew that being chosen by God did not translate to a free pass. He knew that actions had consequences. If God's people were not faithful to God's instructions, bad things would happen. But even
Read more

The Abomination and the Tribulation

Jesus continued to answer the disciples' questions about the destruction of the temple, the signs of His coming, and the end of the age. “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, and you see standing in the holy place—where it should not be—the ‘abomination of desolation,’ as described by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), you will know that Jerusalem’s desolation is near. Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city. And let no one in the field return for their cloak. Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from their house. For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. “How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against these people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the
Read more

When Will These Things Happen?

Jesus and His disciples arrived at the Mount of Olives. And Jesus sat down opposite the temple. His disciples had not stopped thinking about what Jesus had said about the temple—that the time would come when one stone would not be left upon another. And so, Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to Jesus privately. “Teacher, they asked, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ They will deceive many. But do not follow them.” “You will hear of wars, rumors of wars, and rebellions. But do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. Then He told them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven. All these are the beginning
Read more