Psalm 10 – 11
It seemed that I have been living in the midst of a crisis control. The news that unfolded for me at work each day last week seemed to be geting from bad to worse. And this week will tell me whether things spin out of control …
And I must admit it… I was frazzaled!
But it was a good Sabbath day and when I read today’s passage, it was comforting to know, especially in Psalm 11, that when everything around me seems to be falling apart, God is still in control.
Bible Passage: Psalm 10 – 11
I am going to just share my reflections on Psalm 11. What I went through was no way compared to what David went through. And although we are not sure who wrote this Psalm, it seemed to mirror many circumstances of David.
There is a certain structure to Psalm 11….
It starts off with a question and then answers the question. Finally we have a wonderful conclusion. Can you see it?
Question (Psalm 11:1-3):
How can you say to my soul,
“Flee as a bird to your mountain”?
2 For look! The wicked bend their bow,
They make ready their arrow on the string,
That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.
3 If the foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?
Answer (Psalm 11:4-6)
4 The LORD is in His holy temple,
The LORD’s throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold,
His eyelids test the sons of men.
5 The LORD tests the righteous,
But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.
6 Upon the wicked He will rain coals;
Fire and brimstone and a burning wind
Shall be the portion of their cup.
Conclusion (Psalm 11:7):
7 For the LORD is righteous,
He loves righteousness;
I don’t know about you but I was certainly encouraged after reading Psalm 11.
And when we think of the many situations that we see around us – be it personal or global events… we wonder… “How can God let this happen? Where is God? Is God trying to make fun of me? Has He taken a holiday? He is nowhere to be found! How can God be so blind to this injustice? Why does God not act and punish the wicked?”
If I sound very negative, forgive me. But some of these thoughts did cross my mind last week.
But Psalm 11 reminds me that God is in control.
God is always there.
God sees everything.
Nothing seems to be happening does not mean God does not care or is blind.
God tests the Christian.
And God hates the wicked. They will NOT go unpunished – even though they seem to go scott free.
Can we understand this? Can we accept this?
No…. there are many times where we cannot understand why, where, what is happening.
But we are not God.
Our ways… our thoughts… they are never higher than that of God’s (Isa 55:8-9). In fact.. they are not even remotely close to God’s!
So the answer is this: In the midst of all the uncertainty and bad things that seems to be happening… God is always in control. He sees everything!
I seem to be repeating things but I think I need to… cause I have to remind myself … and maybe you too…
We can flee as a bird to God’s mountain of peace because He loves His people. He takes care of us at all times.
All we need is to act with faith and trust in Him and His Word.
I was sharing with some truth-seeking friends about the story of Rahab. And as I was telling them that Rahab lived out her faith with actions…. I was mentally also reminding myself that.
I need to face this stressful week ahead with complete trust and faith in God as He leads me. And the important thing is for me to maintain my integrity and dignity…
For ….
His countenance beholds the upright.
~ Psalm 11:7
3 Comments
OurKing'sWatchman
Thanks biblereadingcompanion… Really needed this. Thank God…
PS
Yes, when the wicked is punished by God, there will usually be sigh of relief and cheers of righteousness.
What’s the actual wrong of the wicked? They bully the righteous.
May be their wrong is that they forget God and say in his heart, “God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see.” (Psalm 10:11)
May be their wrong is that they renounce God and say in their heart, “You will not require an account.”(Psalm 10:13)
Their wickedness is that they despise God and His sovereignty.
“But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief, to repay it by Your hand.”(Psalm 10:14)
(trouble and grief – chin bible奸恶毒害 ie malicious evil and poisonous harm)
Yes, it is not that God is not here.
May be no one, as David and etc were, is upright enough to behold His countenance!(Psalm 11:7)
(Qn: What is the mercy, beyond understanding, which God has bestowed on us?
Ans: The Holy Spirit abiding in us.
Conclusion: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.)
Do His children see His face?
BurningBush
I’m gonna write my reflections on Psalm 10 because I could relate to it, and this chapter is a very assuring read for me.
Sometimes, I do feel that God is so far away from me (Psalm 10:1). I cried out His name but it seems that He took so long to answer or to rescue me, especially from people whom I (and probably God would) detest.
Reading Psalm 10:2-11, makes me realise that there are all kinds of people in this world, and as such, the wicked are commonly and rightly described within this chapter.
Psalm 10:2: “The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.”
– Some people are just too proud, and not just that, they persecutes those that they deem worthless before their eyes. They lack compassion and empathy, and often delights in messing up the lives of others, just to benefit themselves.
Psalm 10:3: “For the wicked boasts of his hearts desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.”
– Some people are boastful of their material things, such that they give much of their wealth, money, and time to things that do not matter as much (i.e. branded goods, IT gadgets, working for employers just to get recognition or promotion etc), and worst of all, they renounce God.
Psalm 10:4: “The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.”
– Some people do not seek the Lord, not because they don’t want to, but because they think that they don’t need God. I’ve met some of them in my life though.
Psalm 10:5-6: “His ways are always prospering; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight; As for all his enemies, he sneers at them. He has said in his heart, I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity.”
– Some people have no mercy, and no respect for their rivals. They may think that they will not fall, or are invincible.
Psalm 10:7: “His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.”
– Some people gossip a lot, lie a lot, and oppress others by being bossy. Some are nothing but trouble to others. I have encountered many in my life as well. Happens at work too.
Psalm 10:8: “He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the secret places he murders the innocent; His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.”
– Some people are exceptionally scheming, constantly playing other people out, taking advantage of others, and harming others just to gain something for himself or herself. These are the real bullies.
Psalm 10:9-10: “He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws him into his net. So he crouches, he lies low, That the helpless may fall by his strength.”
– Some people are extraordinarily sneaky, trying to be your friend and making good impression out of himself or herself, and when you’re not aware, he or she goes in for the kill. These are the deceivers, betrayers, and backstabbers. How many backstabbers do we or have we encountered in our daily working life? I personally have.
Yet, these people still continue to be who they are, thinking that God doesn’t exist, and no one will ever see or know what they did to others (Psalm 10:11). As such, they think they can account to nobody at all. But they are wrong.
God’s word is eternal. He has made it very clear that He will judge all these wicked people at the end of days. From verse 12 to 18, I admire David’s faith in the Lord that He would judge the wicked by breaking their arms and raining fire and brimstone upon them (Psalm 10:15; Psalm 11:6). For God loves the deeds of the righteous, because He is righteous (Psalm 11:7). Psalm 10 has been a rather assuring read whenever I meet people who misjudge or prejudge me, persecute me, or wrongly accuse me for anything I have done or not done at all.
But, I just have to know that, “Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more.” – Psalm 10:17-18.
God hears. God knows. You just have to tell Him.