Psalm Category: Song of Trust

Central Thought: Psalm 11 calls us to place our confidence in God in times of crisis, and it assures us that He will be our refuge.

Key Word: Bahan (vv. 4-5). This word is translated by the NIV as “examine.” The word in Hebrew functions as a metallurgical metaphor. It includes the idea of testing the integrity of metals (see Zech. 13:9). Under the refiner’s fire, only the most perfect of metals will pass the test. How we should rejoice that we can rely on the impeccability of Christ!

Psalm 11

Psalm 11 expresses the psalmist’s journey from crisis to confidence and, finally, to the face of God.

The Crisis (vv. 1-3): The psalm begins with the psalmist in dire straits. He is under attack from his enemies, and a voice advises him to run to the hills. The voice may be that of his friends, counselors, or his own internal voice of doubt. Regardless of the source, the psalmist is facing the temptation to flee from the crisis before him.

Verse 2 fleshes out the nature of the crisis. The psalmist’s enemies are depicted as warriors who are readying their weapons. They are lurking in the shadows and hope to strike covertly. The crisis comes to a head in the psalmist’s desperate cry in verse 3, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (NIV). The psalmist perceives that the foundation of all he has known is crumbling around him. He feels utterly helpless.

Perhaps you are in the midst of a crisis today, or maybe you will find yourself in one tomorrow. Our temptation in the time of crisis is the same as the psalmist’s. We are tempted to seek the easy way out. We are at risk to run to the hills rather than to God. Christians, like others, are susceptible to adopting a “sky is falling” attitude. We see the foundations of our society crumbling around us, and our response to this decay is often to run to the hills of cultural disengagement. The psalmist calls us to a different path.

Confidence (vv. 4-6): In verse 4, we witness a change in the psalmist’s perspective. He is brought back to his theological senses by turning his eyes to the Lord. The psalmist affirms that God is in His temple and on His throne. He recognizes that God is near to him and king over all, including the enemies lurking in the shadows and the creaking foundations.

The psalmist’s confidence continues to grow in verses 5 and 6 as he is assured that God will test both the righteous and the wicked. The imagery of eschatological judgment in these verses is palpable. First, the wicked are depicted as the recipients of “fiery coals” and “burning sulfur” (recall Sodom and Gomorrah). Second, the portion of the wicked is the scorching, sand-ridden winds of the hot desert. On the other hand, the righteous will receive the Lord as their portion (Ps. 16:5).

Verses 5 and 6 lay out for us the covenantal aspects of the gospel. It divides humanity. The Lord loves those who receive it, but hates those who reject it. Think of when Jesus sends out the twelve to preach the good news. Jesus describes the destiny of those who reject the message as follows: “I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town” (Matt. 10:15).

The Face of Christ (v. 7): Verse 7 makes the imperative to receive the gospel even more pressing, because it tells us that God loves the righteous and that only the upright will see His face. How then can we have confidence, when we know that we have no righteousness in ourselves? (see Isa. 64:6). We can have confidence because of the marvelous beauty of the gospel revealed to us in Romans 5:6: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless,

Christ died for the ungodly.” This is the hope of the Christian. When God comes to examine us, we are not relying on our own righteousness, but rather we rest solely on the righteousness of Jesus. In Him we will not be found wanting. The result is that we receive the blessing pronounced by Aaron; we will see God’s face (see Num. 6:24-26). Make certain you are among those who will see His face!

• ––Anthony T. Selvaggio*