In Psalm 11, this reflex comes from his unshakeable conviction that no matter what is happening—no matter that the “foundations are being shaken”—God is still in control: “He is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne” (4). In a world of chaos—of death, disease and disappointment—God is in control.
This psalm records well-intentioned, but faithless advice of David's friends when he was a fugitive from King Saul. David lifted his eyes to the LORD to find faith in a time of testing. He knew the safest place to stand was in radical trust in God.
In this psalm, David shows us how to take refuge in God. Psalm 11 shows us that we need to realize: 1) who is ruling the world, 2) all disasters are examinations, 3) only false foundations can be destroyed by circumstances, and 4) we have to seek God's face.
Psalm 11 1
In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: "Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do ?"
NOTE: David was righteous yet the trials came. NOTE: Faith and obedience are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God trust God; and he that trusts God obeys God. He that is without faith is without works; and he that is without works is without faith.
Psalm 11:1–3 addresses David's temptation to run from his enemies. This suggestion either comes from his advisors or his own fears. His urge is to flee quickly for safety to the mountains because his enemies are well armed and ready to kill him.
The onslaught is fundamentally against the LORD and His Anointed! In such a battle, the righteous man is powerless in himself. He cannot draw on his own resources, nor choose the avenue to compromise in order to bolster his strength.
Psalm 11:4 Reminds Us That God Knows Everything
He knows everything about us. He knows every thought that you've had today in ways that you can't even remember. And he knows every desire you have had. And he knows every word you have said, will say, everything we have done, he sees it all.
He declares that the Lord is his refuge. The wicked are well-armed and prepared to fight, but David trusts God to keep him safe. In part, David stands firm because he recognizes the consequences if godly authority is removed. The psalm celebrates God's sovereign rule and omniscience, ending with encouragement.
Psalm 11:7 Reminds Us to Live Righteously for God
And he has arisen from the dead so that everyone who trusts in him, God counts the righteousness of Jesus to them.
The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.
Psalm 11 says that what God is doing is TESTING. Verse 5 says: “the Lord TESTS the righteous.” This word “test” here is a Hebrew word (bachan) which means “to examine, to test, to try.” It is used of how one tests gold to make sure that it is genuine.
You, O Lord, will preserve us, and you will guard us from this generation into eternity.
how say ye then to my soul, that she should flee as a bird unto the hill? that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart.
Its authorship is traditionally assigned to King David, but most scholars place its origin some time after the end of the Babylonian captivity.
the Lord's throne is in heaven. his eyelids try every mortal being. but those who delight in violence his soul abhors. scorching wind shall be their portion to drink.
The psalms express trust in the Lord and speak of His power and blessings. Consider studying some of the psalms by topic. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet” (Psalm 119:105).
"The Lord bless you and keep you" is a setting of the Priestly Blessing, also known as the Aaronic blessing, from the Book of Numbers in the Bible (Numbers 6:24–26). The blessing, sung or spoken, is used at the conclusion of worship, baptism, ordination, marriage, and other special occasions in Christian worship.
David prays for vengeance on his enemies—not through his own hands, but from God (Romans 12:19–20). The imagery he uses here is dramatic, referring to raining fire and sulfur. Centuries earlier God had done exactly that in His wrath against Sodom and Gomorrah.
When we say that God lifts us up from the earth, we are really saying that he takes us out of the limited philosophies that are prevalent in the world. He lifts us out of our narrow self-focused concerns and gives us a sense of his grandeur, his power, and his love.
He told his listeners that the kingdom of God was “in [their] midst,” meaning that it was present because Jesus himself was there among them. Today, because Christ is present in us through the Holy Spirit, we can bring the presence of God's kingdom wherever we are.
They are hiding in dark places, to shoot their arrows at good, honest people. 3 When the law no longer has authority, righteous people can do nothing!
Children's Lesson
Psalm 119:11 is a perfect reminder as to why we are memorizing Bible verses. We are hiding God's Word in our hearts (and our children's hearts) by memorizing his Word so that we can pull it out when we need it and keep our ways aligned with God.
“By faith Sarah received power… since she considered him faithful who had promised” (Heb 11:11). You may have met people who say, “All things are possible with God.” Jesus says, “If you ask anything in my name I will do it.” So, what do you want? Name it and claim it!