When the Foundations are Being Destroyed (Psalm 11)

It is good to be surrounded by people we trust. We trust them because we know they love us and they care for us. And it is just right. In Solomon's collection of proverbs, several of them talk about the wisdom of listening to advice. The importance of being surrounded by loving and wise counselors even increases when you are given a big responsibility like leading a nation. If you are given that privilege, of course you want the best and the brightest of your friends to be in your cabinet.

But in this case, David had to reject the counsel of people around him. They were probably the best and brightest in their time, and they were so close to David that they loved him. Yet human advisers are fallible. And sometimes they lack the most important component of all, namely faith.

Observe the quotation marks of the last portion of verse 1 and ends at verse 3. The advice was: "Flee like a bird to the mountain". He was told, “It is best for you to move away, far from Jerusalem; far from the throne; far from the seat of power.”

The reason behind the advice was there was too much danger for him to stay: Verse 2 reads:
"For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart."

The principle behind the advice was this: "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (verse 3)

Wicked men have had grown too powerful. They permeate the whole society. They had become too influential. Wicked men were destroying the foundations of morality and justice in the nation and any opposition was under the threat of their bended bows. And so the counselors say, “There is nothing more we could do. Give it up David. Flee to the mountain, like a bird in danger. Move as far as you can from Jerusalem, because the foundations of righteousness are being destroyed and there is nothing else we could do about it.”

This Psalm was David's response to that advice. He begins with a statement of trust: " In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me...."
This Psalm shall be helpful to us because we face our own troubles in life and it seems to logical to conclude, this is just how life is. There is nothing we could do. The wicked are in control, what can the righteous do? None. So let it be this way. There is neither faith not desire for God to work on our behalf.

David’s knowledge of God that undergirded his faith in those time when it seems there is nothing the rigtheous could do.

1. The Holy and Right King rules from above (v.4)
God still reigns from his temple in heaven. He is still above all. No matter how high and exalted the wicked persons are here on earth, they are still below the lofty King who dwells in heaven. Aside from his loftiness, we also see here that holiness is the nature of his rule-- his dwelling place is holy. And since he is holy, he hates sin; he hates wickedness; he hates injustice; he hates lies. When the foundations are being destroyed, there is a Holy God on whom we could put our trust.

2. The Holy God is interested in the affairs of men
verse 4c: "his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man."
He observes everyone on earth. He examines; he tests; he scrutinizes every heart. And when he sees wickedness, he is not indifferent to it. His holy wrath will certainly be aroused: Verse 5 b reads "the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates." (v.5). They will not go unjudged; verse 6 says "On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot"

3. God loves the righteous and they shall experience his blessing
verse 7: “For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.
To see the face of God is to experience divine favors. It is to experience the truth that God is with you. It is the blessing of intimate communion between God and his people. in this context, “yes” on their own the righteous cannot do anything to overturn the acts of wicked men who destroy the foundations. Yet the righteous people could always run to God, their refuge, and they will find the deliverance they are seeking. The blessedness of his presence is a reality.