Do you ever feel powerless in the world? There was a time in young David’s life when his whole world crashed down on him. He was a rising star, immensely successful and popular, so famous that the King himself (Saul) gave David his daughter to marry. I am sure that David felt that all was well and good in the world. But in a matter of days, everything changed for David. The King became jealous of David and plotted his death. In 1 Samuel 22, you can read the story of how David hears from his beloved friend, Jonathan, that the King is indeed seeking to kill David, and thus David needs to flee. David flees to the city of priests call Nob, receives limited assistance from the priest named Ahimelech, and then ventures on to seek refuge in the land of the Philistines. King Saul pursues David, murders Ahimelech at Nob, as well as the inhabitants of the entire city of priests, gives David’s wife to another man, and gathers an army to hunt David down. Can you imagine how powerless David must have felt at the injustice being done to him by the anointed King Saul? David voices this sense of powerlessness in Psalm 11 verses 3, he says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
Today, it is not hard to feel powerless in light of the challenges our nation is facing. Covid-19 has changed everything. People are living in isolation, thoughts, and attempts of suicide are high, businesses have shut down, and many churches are empty. At the time of writing this letter, hurricane Laura has made landfall in Louisiana devastating many homes and lives (Lord, I pray, be with the people suffering this day). Violent riots are still happening in major cities across America, and racial division and injustice seem to be growing. These crises only add to the other complex challenges of things like the economy, the environment, and health care. Wrapped into these critical issues is that there will be a presidential election in just two months where both parties are pushing the lie that if elected, all these problems will just go away. In light of these challenges, I think many people feel powerless right now and can add their voice to David’s question, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
In answer to this question, David makes it clear that the one thing that righteous cannot do is to do nothing. In verses 1 and 2 of Psalm 11, the temptation to run away from the problems and challenges is rejected. Pretending that nothing is wrong is not the way of the righteous, nor is isolating oneself from the world. So, what can the righteous do? The answer that Psalm 11 provides is that the righteous can do two things. First, the righteous can get their eyes off of the evil, disorder, and terrifying things of the moment, and lift them up to the Lord. Verse 4 reads, “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.” In David’s feeling of powerlessness, he remembers that God is sovereign. Not only is God sovereign, but that God sees and knows what David is going through and is at work in David through the things he is suffering. This focus on God causes David to take refuge in the Lord (see verse 1). What can you do today when you feel overwhelmed by the things if this world? You can remind yourself that the Lord reigns, He is sovereign, He is God, He sees you, He knows you, and He is at work in you. The second action that David takes is to direct his steps in accordance to who God is, what God desires, and trusting in what God promises. We see this in verse 7 of Psalm 11, “For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.” Therefore, this means for you and me that no matter what the world looks like, it does not change who God is, he is righteous. And no matter what evil befalls this world, it does not change how we are to live in it, for God loves righteous deeds. And no matter how scary our world appears, His promise to you does not change, “the upright shall behold his face.” In this time of uncertainty, take refuge in the Lord, and do not cease to do good.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Trent Eastman
(Psalm 11:0–7 The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) “0 To the choirmaster. Of David. 1 In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain, 2 for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; 3 if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” 4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. 5 The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. 6 Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.”
Concerning the Word of Life 