When the Foundations Crumble
Psalms 11:1-7
Jim Davis
"The twentieth
century has seen the collapse of order in the West.
With the Reformation, the order of the Bible
replaced the order of the church. Then with the
Enlightenment, the order of reason replaced the
order of the Bible. Today, however, reason as an
absolute has fallen under the attack of the
irrational, of relativism . . . and of the naked
will to power. Indeed, it seems that traditional
foundations have all but crumbled and left humankind
standing alone in an empty universe." (Donald M.
Williams, The Communicators Commentary, Psalms 1-72,
Word Books, Publisher, Waco, Texas, 1986. pg 99.)
The above quote
written in 1986 describes the ongoing changes
shaking foundational belief systems today. The first
decade of the 21st Century is passed and
things aren’t getting any simpler. We find ourselves
in the midst of a collapsing world order. The
constant change of our world challenges us to the
core of our being. The invariable change rippling
through churches is daunting. What we once thought
Christianity should be is being replaced by ever
changing personal self-willed ethics. It leaves us bewildered as
we look for a place of refuge in a crumbling world
order.
Sometimes I think
I have the answer. Simply go back to ostensibly
better days when things were much simpler. Simply
roll the clock backward. Yet, I realize, we must
face the challenges head on. The psalmist is asked a
question in Psalms 11:3, "When the foundations are
being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" The
question comes out of despair. It is asked by one
who feels the choices are slim to none. It is a
rhetorical question. And whoever asks the question
has just given this advice.
Psalms 11:1b-3
"Flee like a bird
to your mountain.
2 For look, the
wicked bend their bows;
they set their
arrows against the strings
to shoot from the
shadows
at the upright in
heart.
3 When the
foundations are being destroyed,
what can the
righteous do?"
Someone questions
the psalmist with this advice. In the seemingly
impossible circumstances shouldn’t we flee to the
mountains? What else can the righteous do? The world
is forever collapsing around us. Our sojourn on
earth isn’t any different than the faithful in the
long ago. We are no different than Abraham’s nomadic
tribe facing the dangers of the nomadic desert
ranges. Our lives are caught up in a world bent on
evil. If it isn’t the political chaos, it is
economic pandemonium. The axis of world powers is in
a state of upheaval. From the Madoff scandals to
Wall Street failures the social structure is
disappearing. Churches, which were once thriving
fellowships, are collapsing. Impersonal mega church
organizations are replacing community churches. The
family unit is being challenged to the core. Single
parent homes and same sex marriages are thriving to
become the norm.
To whom or to
what shall we turn? Should we seek to flee the
troubles we face? Shall we seek to devise an
ingenious plan to save ourselves? The psalmist gives
his answer to the advice given to him.
Psalms 11:1-7
1 For the
director of music. Of David.
In the LORD I
take refuge.
How then can you
say to me:
"Flee like a bird
to your mountain.
2 For look, the
wicked bend their bows;
they set their
arrows against the strings
to shoot from the
shadows
at the upright in
heart.
3 When the
foundations are being destroyed,
what can the
righteous do?"
4 The LORD is in
his holy temple;
the LORD is on
his heavenly throne.
He observes the
sons of men;
his eyes examine
them.
5 The LORD
examines the righteous,
but the wicked
and those who love violence
his soul hates.
6 On the wicked
he will rain
fiery coals and
burning sulfur;
a scorching wind
will be their lot.
7 For the LORD is
righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will
see his face. NIV
I Will Take Refuge in the
Lord
The psalmist
replies, "In the Lord I take refuge." David lived
much of his life out on the hillsides and in caves
fleeing from his enemies. Give David the choice of
where to meet his enemies in battle. He would always
choose the bush over the walled cities. He always
made his enemies fight on his terms. Many may have
attributed David’s success in battle to his uncanny
ability to flee to his remote hiding places for
refuge. His adviser may feel he is merely
encouraging David to do what he has always done—flee
to the mountains.
David reminds his
people that the Lord is his refuge. David never
hesitated to say that his Rock, his Fortress, his
Hiding Place and his Refuge was God. Without God
there was no refuge—no safe place. There is nothing
wrong with personal planning as long it focuses on
God. David was ingenious when it came to fighting
his enemies, but he knew his plans would not succeed
without God’s help. God was his only source of help.
The advice given
the psalmist is countered saying, "The Lord is in
his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly
throne."
It seems the faithful of old were always reminding
themselves who was in charge. No matter how
desperate the situation gets we must remember the
sovereignty of the Lord reigns supreme.
1 Samuel 2:8-9
"For the
foundations of the earth are the LORD's;
upon them he has
set the world.
9 He will guard
the feet of his saints,
but the wicked
will be silenced in darkness. NIV
The prophets
reminded Israel of God’s promises.
Too often, we think of the promises to the
patriarchs as vague distant promises from the past.
This is not the case. Micah prophesied over 1,000
years after God made his promise to Abraham (Genesis
12:1-4). Yet, he is claiming those promises for
himself and Israel.
Micah 7:20
20 You will be
true to Jacob,
and show mercy to
Abraham,
as you pledged on
oath to our fathers
in days long ago.
NIV
The name Jacob
and Abraham in this passage stands for the whole of
Abraham’s descendants—all of Israel. Israel’s faith
was built upon God’s promise to Abraham. Micah saw
the promises made to Abraham valid for all time.
Micah understands the Lord reigns supreme—the Lord
was still in his holy temple.
God’s promise to
Abraham was to every child of Abraham’s descendants.
It is clear that believers today are the children of
Abraham. "Consider Abraham: ‘He believed God, and it
was credited to him as righteousness.’ Understand,
then, that those who believe are children of
Abraham" (Galatians 3:6-8). It applies to the
faithful and the unfaithful. We are free to claim or
reclaim the promises made to Abraham for ourselves
through choosing to believe in Christ. When we read
this passage we must see ourselves included in the
names Abraham and Jacob.
The promise Micah
was clinging to is in the following verses:
Genesis 12:1-3
12:1 The LORD had
said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and
your father's household and go to the land I will
show you.
2 "I will make
you into a great nation
and I will bless
you;
I will make your
name great,
and you will be a
blessing.
3 I will bless
those who bless you,
and whoever
curses you I will curse;
and all peoples
on earth
will be blessed
through you." NIV
This may seem to
be an ancient promise for a time much different than
ours.
Yet, this promise is as real for every believer
today as it was for Abraham. God is in his holy
temple and he can bring these promises to fruition
through each one of us. Untold millions can be
blessed through your life today as you reclaim the
promises made to Abraham. We can reclaim these
promises through Jesus Christ. We can be blessed and
bless others as we cling to these never ending ever
present ancient promises.
Galatians 3:26-29
26 You are all
sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for
all of you who were baptized into Christ have
clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither
Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for
you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to
Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to the promise. NIV
God Is Very
Personal
The writer of
Psalms understands the validity of God’s promise.
Therefore he takes refuge in God. The psalmist says,
"He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.
The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and
those who love violence his soul hates" (Psalms
11:4b-5). God observes us individually. His eye is
upon each one of his children.
God promised
Abraham saying, "I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse" (Genesis 12:3).
We often only see the big picture as we look at the
nation of Israel developing from Abraham’s seed.
Yet, God’s promise to Abraham was very up close and
personal as God blessed and protected him.
There are times
we feel forsaken by God.
There are times when others think God has forsaken
us. Psalms 42 reveals a time when the psalmist
longed for God to reveal himself. His thirst for God
was almost unbearable.
Psalms 42:1-3
42:1 For the
director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.
As the deer pants
for streams of water,
so my soul pants
for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts
for God, for the living God.
When can I go and
meet with God?
3 My tears have
been my food
day and night,
while men say to
me all day long,
"Where is your
God?" NIV
His soul
tearfully longs day and night for God to reveal
himself.
Those around the
psalmist believe God has forsaken him.
They ask, "Where is your God?" He feels
forgotten.
Psalms 42:9-10
9 I say to God my
Rock,
"Why have you
forgotten me?
Why must I go
about mourning,
oppressed by the
enemy?"
10 My bones
suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt
me,
saying to me all
day long,
"Where is your
God?" NIV
He longed for the
good old days.
Psalms 42:4
4 These things I
remember
as I pour out my
soul:
how I used to go
with the multitude,
leading the
procession to the house of God,
with shouts of
joy and thanksgiving
among the festive
throng. NIV
Whenever the
nation of Israel was in rebellion to God, he never
lost sight of those seeking him.
He never lost sight of those in rebellion to him. He
sent the prophets to preach the message of
salvation. In the midst of it all the prophets
reminded Israel of God’s faithfulness to his
promises to lure them back to God.
Psalms 107:33-38
33 He turned
rivers into a desert,
flowing springs
into thirsty ground,
34 and fruitful
land into a salt waste,
because of the
wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He turned the
desert into pools of water
and the parched
ground into flowing springs;
36 there he
brought the hungry to live,
and they founded
a city where they could settle.
37 They sowed
fields and planted vineyards
that yielded a
fruitful harvest;
38 he blessed
them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and he did not
let their herds diminish. NIV
We may read these
verses and fail to see the big picture.
God was salvaging his chosen people in the midst of
collapsing world orders. Egypt was reeling on her
heels due to the exodus of her labor force—the walls
of Jericho came tumbling down—the cities of Canaan
were in ruin. Evil was reaching its full potential
(Genesis 15:16). God gathered his people in the
wilderness of Sinai. God was on his throne making
room for his people as they crossed over the Jordan
River into the Promised Land.
When the
foundations beneath our feet crumble God may feel as
distant as these 3500 year old promises. However,
God is on his throne—the Lord our God reigns. When
you feel alone and forsaken remember:
Remember Jacob
when he had only a stone for a pillow.
Remember Joseph
becoming second in charge of Egypt in spite of his
betrayal and false imprisonment.
Remember Ruth
gleaning from the fields in the midst of famine.
Remember Gideon
mustering every ounce of strength and courage he had
to save Israel from the Philistines.
Remember Esther
forced to become a member of the king’s harem simply
saying, "If I die, I die."
Remember Daniel
who survived through the collapse of Israel, Babylon
and the rule of the Medes. Although he was serving
at the very throne of those kings in their decline,
he survived all of them.
Mediating on
Simpler Times
To muster up
strength for the present David often recalled
simpler times. In psalms 23 David recalled how God
had been his shepherd through the dark valleys and
turbulent waters. He reminds himself of those days
as he is about to go up against Goliath (1 Samuel
17:34-37).
Maybe we need to
return to simpler times in our thoughts when we feel
as though our salvation is slipping away. Recall how
you felt when you first came to Christ through the
watery grave of baptism. Remember how relieved you
felt coming out of those waters redeemed by the
blood of Christ. It wasn’t because of anything you
had done—but simply what Christ has done. We are
still redeemed—if you don’t feel that great about
how you have lived, simply repent and ask God to
forgive. The angels will rejoice with you—why
shouldn’t you rejoice. God is overjoyed as lost
sheep return to the fold.
So what if the
foundations are crumbling from underneath our feet.
God is our refuge.
Psalms 11:4, 7
4 The LORD is in
his holy temple;
the LORD is on
his heavenly throne.
He observes the
sons of men;
his eyes examine
them.
7 For the LORD is
righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will
see his face. NIV
Conclusion:
The Lord gave us
a sound, yet simple theology to live by no matter
how bad things get.
Micah 6:6-8
6 With what shall
I come before the LORD
and bow down
before the exalted God?
Shall I come
before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a
year old?
7 Will the LORD
be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand
rivers of oil?
Shall I offer my
firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my
body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has showed
you, O man, what is good.
And what does the
LORD require of you?
To act justly and
to love mercy
and to walk
humbly with your God.
NIV
Actually it is a
return to simpler days.
Shall I seek to redeem myself in my circumstances by
becoming more religious? Shall I give burnt
offerings or ten thousand rivers of oil or sacrifice
my children on the altar. Shall I go to church more,
give more money or start a shelter for the homeless.
What does God require—to act justly—to love mercy—to
walk humbly with God?
Psalms 46:1-11
1 God is our
refuge and strength,
an ever-present
help in trouble.
2 Therefore we
will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains
fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its
waters roar and foam
and the mountains
quake with their surging.
4 There is a
river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place
where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within
her, she will not fall;
God will help her
at break of day.
6 Nations are in
uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his
voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD
Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob
is our fortress.
Selah
8 Come and see
the works of the LORD,
the desolations
he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars
cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow
and shatters the spear,
he burns the
shields with fire.
10 "Be still, and
know that I am God;
I will be exalted
among the nations,
I will be exalted
in the earth."
11 The LORD
Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob
is our fortress. NIV
