We do not know much about the background of Psalm 11. All we know is that it was written by David for the head musician. It would appear from the content that David is facing adversity.
Faith in God
David begins by affirming his trust in God. God is like a fortress for him in times of trouble. Instead of running away from his problems he is going to run to God for deliverance.
The temptation to run away
It is not clear where the temptation comes from, but David is tempted to just run away from all of his problems. This temptation could come from his enemies, Satan, his own flesh, or even his friends. We all face this temptation when things become tough. Quitting is always the easiest option. It is easier to walk away from a marriage than to stay and fix it. It is easier to walk away from difficult conversations as opposed to working things out. It is easier to walk away from a church than to fix it.
Running away many times is not necessarily a physical act. Many vices are a form of escape. People drink to forget their problems. Sexual sin is many times nothing more than an escape from the pain of life. There are many, many ways we “escape” our troubles.
The pressure of the opposition
David feels like he is walking through the woods with many archers hiding in wait. He feels like he cannot even see his enemy, but he knows they will attack at any moment. We can relate to how David feels. Sometimes the pressure is enormous, and many times it comes from unseen sources. We feel like everything is going to blow up in our faces at any moment. Thinking about verse 2 really helps us to understand why David is tempted to run away.
Fighting for the foundations
Verse 3 almost seems like it does not fit the flow of the song. However, it shows David’s insight and resolve. David knows that the enemy is not going to merely attack him. They are going to try to destroy the very foundations of the righteous. If David runs away there will be nothing left when he comes back. He will not be able to repair the damage. There will be nothing he can do. In light of this, he stays to fight for the foundations of the faith.
Satan’s attacks many times are not his true aim. Many times they are merely distractions from his true aim. His attacks are intended to make us run off so that he can dismantle the foundations of our faith. We must be very wary of the distractions that lead us away from the foundations of our faith.
Application:
All around us the foundations are being destroyed. This is happening because Christians are either running away or fighting the wrong battles. We must stand in the armor of God and fight to protect the foundations of our faith. We have lost sight of the Gospel as we fight culture wars. We have lost sight of God’s Word while we fight for preferences in the church. We have lost sight of the very foundation of our faith while we focus on earthly prosperity.
- Will you see through Satan’s schemes?
- Will you fight for the foundations of our faith?
- Will you trust God for the outcome as opposed to running away?
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