Psalm 11 (NLT)
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 I trust in the Lord for protection.
So why do you say to me,
“Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!
2 The wicked are stringing their bows
and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from the shadows
at those whose hearts are right.
3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed.
What can the righteous do?”
4 But the Lord is in his holy Temple;
the Lord still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
examining every person on earth.
5 The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked.
He hates those who love violence.
6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,
punishing them with scorching winds.
7 For the righteous Lord loves justice.
The virtuous will see his face.
In Psalm 11, David finds himself in trouble. Many believe that David wrote this Psalm either while his life was being threatened by King Saul (Psalm 18), or it was his reaction to the rebellion of his son, Absalom (Psalm 3). Regardless, David trusted the Lord, as he believed in the Lord’s righteousness and fairness.
We ALL face troubles, and we are witnessing so many troubling situations within our world at this very moment. During troubling times, we have a choice, do we trust God and allow Him to use those times to develop us, or do we allow the circumstances of what we are going through to turn us to seek the care of this world? There are many worldly vices that seek to “take care” of us during troubling times: drugs, alcohol, overeating, not eating enough, lack of sleep, smoking, over-spending, gossiping, arguing, laziness, lying, cheating, gambling, social media/gaming/app addictions, pornography, skipping out on time with the Lord, and the list goes on and on. We know when our actions, thoughts, and words are not one with Christ.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that because of Christ, ”We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” (Romans 5:3-5)
So, cling to Jesus every day, and DO NOT let go during the difficult times. We were reminded during yesterday’s time of worship to pray, pray, and just when you think you’ve prayed too much, pray again, because we ALL need the work of the Holy Spirit operating through us and around us ALL the time. Let go of worrying about what is unfair, unjust, and downright wrong within our world. Instead replace your worry with prayer, and trust in our righteous and fair Lord to take care of everything: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)
Prayer: Jesus, I love You and I cannot thank You enough for your protection within my life. Thank You for allowing my heart to grieve during difficult times and holding me as I go through each step. I trust that You are aware of everything that has, is, and will go on within our broken world. I join my brother, David, in asking that You please watch everyone closely here on earth, and I believe that You know each heart. Hold Your children close to You, Lord, and allow others who do not know You to see You through Your children. Allow my light for You to shine brightly and keep me filled with so much joy that it is overflowing. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.
Written By: Jen Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant