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<h2><span><a onclick="return mV('Psa',11,'1-');">Psa 11</a> - The Answer of Faith to the Advice of Fear</span></h2>
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<p>This Psalm records well-intentioned, but faithless advice of David's friends when he was a fugitive from King Saul. David lifts his eyes to the Lord to find faith in a time of testing. He knew the safest place to stand was in radical trust in God.</p>
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<p><span>A. The advice of fear.</span></p>
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<p class="c1"><span>1. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',11,1);">1</a>) David reacts to the advice to flee.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">In the <span class="c6">Lord</span> I put my trust;<br>How can you say to my <span>soul,</span><br>"Flee <i>as</i> a bird to your mountain"?</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. In the years before he took the throne of Israel, David lived the life of a fugitive. He was constantly hunted by King Saul, and lived in constant danger. In such a time, his friends advised him, <b><span class="c3">"Flee as a bird to your mountain."</span></b></span> His friends meant well, but David knew it was the wrong thing to do.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. So, he reacts with near outrage: <b><span class="c3">In the <span class="c6">Lord</span> I put my trust; how can you say to my soul, "Flee as a bird to your mountain?"</span></b> No matter how well intentioned his friends are, they are giving him the advice of fear. The advice of fear couldn't stand with the position of <b><span class="c3">trust</span></b> David had in the <b><span class="cmscap">Lord</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "He would rather dare the danger than exhibit <span>a distrust</span> in the Lord his God." (Spurgeon)</span></p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',11,'2-3');">2-3</a>) David remembers the words of fear in the mouths of his friends.</p>
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<p class="c2">For look! The wicked bend <i>their</i> bow,<br>They make ready their arrow on the string,<br>That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.<br>If the foundations are destroyed,<br>What can the righteous do?</p>
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<p class="c4"><span><span>a</span></span><span>. <b><span class="c3">For look! The wicked bend their <span>bow,</span> they make ready their arrow on the string</span></b></span>: in today's language, David's friends would say, "Look! There is a loaded gun to your head, and you have to run!"</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <span>The advice given to David is well meant, but ungodly. It is like when Peter advised Jesus to not go the way of the cross (<a onclick="return mV('Mat',16,'22-23');">Mat 16:22-23</a>). Peter meant well, but he was really being used by the devil!</span></p>
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<p class="c5">i<span>. We must always be careful with the advice we give to others. First, we must always mind our own business and not be busybodies (<a onclick="return mV('1Th',4,11);">1Th 4:11</a>; <a onclick="return mV('1Ti',5,13);">1Ti 5:13</a>). Second, we can be too confident in our own perception of a situation. Job's friend confidently said <i>"I will tell you, hear me; what I have seen I will declare"</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Job',15,17);">Job 15:17</a>), but he was wrong. Our motive is good and right, but the advice is wrong.</span></p>
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<p class="c4"><span>c. <b><span class="c3">That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart</span></b></span>: here, David's friends are trying to make him afraid of a secret attack. When we fear the things we can't see, we are really walking in fear!</p>
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<p class="c5">i. David's friends may have been using an element of manipulation here. They may have reasoned like this: "Look, for his own good we have to get David to get out of here. It's justified for us to exaggerate things a little bit to get him to do what is right." But it wasn't justified. Manipulation is never right, even if it is for a good cause.</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?</span></b> These words in the mouths of David's friends are meant to be a warning. The idea is, "The very foundation of Saul's government is destroyed. What can a righteous one like you do, except flee?"</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>e. When David hears these words from his friends, his head probably told him there was something to them. But his heart told him that to heed this advice and to flee would be to compromise.</span></p>
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<p class="c5">i. "He will use such plausible logic, that unless we once for all assert our immovable trust in Jehovah, he will make us like the timid bird which flies to the mountain whenever danger presents itself." (Spurgeon)</p>
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<p><span>B. The answer of faith.</span></p>
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<p class="c1"><span>1. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',11,4);">4a</a>) David answers by remembering where God is.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">The <span class="c6">Lord</span> <i>is</i> in His holy temple,<br>The Lord's throne <i>is</i> in heaven;</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">The <span class="c6">Lord</span> is in His holy temple</span></b>: probably, David has in mind both the <span class="c6">Lord'</span>s temple on earth (the tabernacle) and the <span class="c6">Lord</span>'s temple in heaven. David is reminding himself and his friends, "God hasn't gone anywhere. You can go to His temple and meet with Him." He may also have the thought, "The <span class="c6">Lord</span> isn't going anywhere, so I won't either."</p>
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<p class="c5">i. When the advice of fear comes upon us, we can only arrive at the answer of faith by spending time with the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. When we <i>think</i> about our problems, the advice of fear often overwhelms us. When we <i>pray</i> about our problems, the answer of faith assures our hearts.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. When we think of Jesus in the temple of heaven, we remember that He is praying for us. "What plots can men devise which Jesus will not discover? Satan has doubtless desired to have us, that he may sift us as wheat, but Jesus is in the temple praying for us, and how can our faith fail?" (Spurgeon)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">The <span class="c6">Lord</span>'s throne is in heaven</span></b>: this is the source of David's confidence. It is not foolhardiness or self-reliance. Instead, David has confidence in a holy, all-powerful, all-knowing God.</p>
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<p class="c5">i<span>. David was asked, <span><i>What</i></span><i> can the righteous do?</i></span> David answered with another question: "What <i>can't</i> the righteous do when the <span class="c6">Lord</span> God is still on His throne?"</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. The problems were indeed bad. "But what were all these things to a man whose trust was in God alone?" (Spurgeon)</p>
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<p class="c1"><span>2. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',11,'4-5');">4b-5</a>) David answers by remembering what God sees.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.<br>The <span class="c6">Lord</span> tests the righteous,<br>But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. <b><span class="c3">His eyes behold</span></b></span>: David doesn't need to take the advice of fear, because God sees his situation. David can have a greater cause than self-preservation, because he knows that God is looking at him and taking care of him.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">The <span class="c6">Lord</span> tests the righteous</span></b>: again, David is answering the question, <span><i>If</i></span><i> the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?</i> David answers, "The righteous can know that the <span class="c6">Lord</span> is testing them, and because a loving God is testing them, they can know they will not be pushed too far or forsaken. The righteous can know the <span class="c6">Lord</span> is in control."</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>c. <b><span class="c3">But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates</span></b></span>: as God sees, He is not a detached observer. He cares; He sees the <b><span class="c3">wicked</span></b> and <b><span class="c3">hates</span></b> them. David is saying, "I don't need to flee to protect myself, because God in heaven is watching me and sees how sinful the conduct of my enemies is."</p>
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<p class="c1"><span>3. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',11,6);">6</a>) David answers by remembering the destiny of the wicked.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">Upon the wicked He will rain coals;<br>Fire and brimstone and a burning wind<br><span><i>Shall be</i> the portion of their cup.</span></p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. <b><span class="c3">Upon the wicked He will rain coals, fire and brimstone and a burning wind</span></b></span>: God will punish the wicked. This gives David confidence in the midst of the advice of fear. After all, if the <span>ungodly persecute the righteous, how much more will the righteous God persecute the ungodly?</span></p>
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<p class="c4"><span>b. <b><span class="c3">Fire and brimstone</span></b></span>: this gives the image of ultimate, eternal judgment. <span>What does David have to fear from men destined for hell?</span></p>
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<p class="c4"><span>c. <b><span class="c3">This shall be the portion of their cup</span></b></span>: the image of the <b><span class="c3">cup</span></b> as a container of judgment reminds us of Jesus' prayer in the garden: <i>O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from <span>Me</span>; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Mat',26,39);">Mat 26:39</a>). The cup Jesus dreaded was the cup that contained the wrath of God against sin; wrath that we deserved, but Jesus drank for us.</p>
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<p class="c1"><span>4. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',11,7);">7</a>) David answers by remembering the love and favor of God.</span></p>
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<p class="c2">For the <span class="c6">Lord</span> <i>is</i> righteous,<br>He loves righteousness;<br>His countenance beholds the upright.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>a. <b><span class="c3">For the <span class="c6">Lord</span> is righteous</span></b></span>: this was a comfort and encouragement to David. When we are rebelling against the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, His righteousness is no comfort to us. But David knew he was the innocent victim of persecution, and he knew the <b><span class="c3">righteous</span></b> <span class="c6">Lord</span> would take up his cause.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">He loves righteousness</span></b>: David knew that as he walked righteously, he would <i>keep</i> [himself] <i>in the love of God</i>. (<a onclick="return mV('Jud',1,21);">Jud 1:21</a>) It isn't that we must earn God's love by our personal righteousness; instead, our pursuit and practice of righteousness keeps us flowing in the benefits of God's love.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. God's love extends everywhere. Nothing can separate us from God's love, and He loved us while we were still sinners (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',5,8);">Rom 5:8</a>). But we can deny ourselves the benefits of God's love.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. People who don't keep themselves in the love of God end up living as if they are on the dark side of the moon. The sun is always out there, always shining, but they are never in a position to receive the light or warmth of the sun. They are like the Prodigal Son of <a onclick="return mV('Luk',15,'1-');">Luk 15</a>, who was always loved by the father, but for a time not he did not benefit from that love.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>c. <b><span class="c3">His countenance beholds the upright</span></b></span>: scholars and translators debate if this means "God's upright people see Him" or "the <span class="c6">Lord</span> sees His upright people." Most modern translations think it speaks of God's people seeing Him: <i>Upright men will see his face</i> (NIV), <i>The upright will behold His face</i> (NASB)<span>,<i>The</i></span><i> godly shall see his face</i> (LB). However, it really doesn't matter, because both are true.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. God shines His face on His people. This speaks of "an eye of approbation, and true and tender affection, and watchful and gracious providence; which is oft signified by God's <i>beholding</i> or <i>looking</i> upon men" (Poole). In fact, the last line of the priestly blessing of <a onclick="return mV('Num',6,26);">Num 6:26</a> is, <i>The <span class="c6">Lord</span> lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace</i>.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. God's people will see Him. <i>I will see Your face in righteousness</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',17,15);">Psa 17:15</a>). <i>Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Mat',5,8);">Mat 5:8</a>). In fact, the desire to behold God is one of the greatest motivations to an upright life and heart.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>d. All in all, when David considers the greatness of God, the care of God, and the vision of God, it all outweighs the danger. For David, trusting God was the safest move of all. His friends may or may not have meant well, but David would not receive their advice of fear. Instead, he would answer with faith.</span></p>
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