Psalm 11 — Trusting Truth Instead of Lies — Reading the Psalms

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 In the LORD put I my trust:
How say ye to my soul,
Flee as a bird to your mountain?
2 For, lo, the wicked bend the bow,
They make ready their arrow upon the string,
That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
3 If the foundations be destroyed,
What can the righteous do?
4 The LORD is in his holy temple,
The LORD, his throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
5 The LORD trieth the righteous:
But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares;
Fire and brimstone and burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the LORD is righteous; he loveth righteousness:
The upright shall behold his face.

Our emotions are attacked and we feel anxious or depressed. Our failures make us fear; we may want to flee. But how could we flee? Except in the Lord there is no safe place for us to hide. If one pleads with us to flee from the Lord, why would we listen?

Satan is the Accuser and his accusations are strong attacks, indeed. He lies to us when he says, “You’re too broken”, “You’re too much of a mess”, “You’re too great a failure”. Yet, these lies can sink deep and may give us trouble.

David’s simple advice is to repeat to ourselves, and to Satan, “He’s the God in whom I trust. Why would I flee?” This trust is well founded, is it not? Has not God forgiven great sinners in the past? What about King Manasseh in the Old Testament and Saul of the New?

Satan cries out, “If the foundations be destroyed …?” and points to the terrors around. He points out my mistakes and the troubles in my country. He points to natural disasters and the loss of faith in so many. Yet, these are not the destruction of God’s foundation, but Satan’s own works of evil.

The Lord tries the righteous, yes. We do have trials. But the Lord hates those who love violence, Satan included. Yes, I’ve made my mistakes, but God is gracious and I trust in his favor. I can trust in God’s grace more surely than Satan’s deceptive declarations of destruction. 

Let us trust God together – hand in hand – as we resist the lies of our accuser.