Psalm 11 - Fly to the Lord

 Ps. 11

  ¹      In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain, 

²    for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; 

³    if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” 

⁴    The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. 

⁵    The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. 

⁶    Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. 

⁷    For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face. 

 

I know this moment. I’m so thankful it was of David. He made mistakes. Wasn’t perfect. But He still pursued the heart of God. Righteous, not because he was perfect, but because his repentance came quickly…he couldn’t stay long on the wrong side of his King.

 

Sometimes, maybe all the time, there is no way to flee to a place of safety when people attack you. Even if you remove yourself, pull back, or “fly” away…arrows keep coming. Every now and then, they are easy to see. Enemies of the cross, acting in the slavery of sin. Other times it doesn’t. The arrows fly from the hand of a person with a Bible in their backpack and podcast lists filled with doctrinal insight. It isn’t in rebellion that they take aim…it is with sear consciouses (1 Tim. 4:2) that allows bitterness and disdain to take refuge in their hearts, which makes loading arrows and those who overlook them to feel “good, right, justified.”

 

What can the righteous do? Again, this isn’t perfect. It is one who is right with God. How can you know if you are righteous? First, Have you confessed Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Have you repented from your sin? Confessed it to your Lord and currently following His direction obediently? (active obedience, we can’t overlook this part)  Then you aren’t perfect, but you are righteous. 

 

Take refuge in the Lord. Not the “high ground,” but in His throne. There is safety and rest. The arrows won’t stop immediately, but they will stop. You see the one with a seared conscience doesn’t realize that their arrows are no longer taking aim at you, but now have begun to take aim at the King, His Bride, His Name.

 

The Lord is righteous. He will reward “the bird” who seeks refuge in Him and the hand of the one who pulls the bow with a just reward. Be at Peace. 

 

If you ever find yourself with your fingers on the string of that bow…repent. Drop it. And join the “bird” in seeking refuge and forgiveness in the throne room of the King. There’s still room for you…just not your bow.