March 28, 2021 -- Psalm 11 -- The King our Refuge

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.

Psalm 11 ESV

This psalm is made for these confusing days of tumult. The foundations are being destroyed—the Canadian government, at all levels are killing their people with abortions, Medical Assistance in Dying on the one hand, and then on the other imposing crazy restrictions against its own people with regards to economy, stopping compassionate visiting the ill and dying, quarantining healthy people and so on for a virus that is arguably less lethal than the common flu. Even the ‘now more virulent version’, which the state broadcaster of Canada declares is 60% more contagious (this means around 45-55 out of 1000 are likely to catch it (instead of 30 or so out of 1000).

Beloved children of God, look at the tremendous assurances given to the believer. The LORD is the refuge of His people—the government can never be the solution. No political party of any stripe can be a savior. Man-made solutions are always infected with hubris and folly. No political party can ever be the refuge or safety of people, only God the Father is the refuge of His Own—always has been, always will be.

Where is the LORD in all of this? He is in His holy temple! For us as New Testament Christians, this is even more powerful than it might have been for the Old Testament audience. King David’s great descendant, and His Lord, Jesus Christ has taken on Himself the punishment which our sins deserved. Jesus is now at the Father’s right hand, in the real temple, of which the temple in Jerusalem was a mere copy, He praying for believers, bringing righteousness and justice to their culmination. The believer need nor fear the arrows and calamities of the wicked. Notice the mighty power of God, His eyelids (yes, you read that right, in verse 4 His eyelids) test the children of men.

Think about this—your eyes are so delicate. How vulnerable your eyes are to having anything touch them, even the smallest grain of sand can make you so irritated and out of sorts, pained until it is removed. But the LORD is so powerful His eyelids, the merest blink, is enough to overthrow wicked people, baseless government decrees and armies of darkness. What many people might consider to be the most vulnerable and tender part of the body is, anthropomorphically speaking, for our Triune God, still greater than any power in the universe that could ever be arrayed against Him. Remember the LORD God is all powerful. He is Spirit. The psalm-writer is speaking “anthropomorphically”—he is applying human characteristics to God in order that we, small mortals that we are, can begin to grasp what is so beyond our knowledge and experience, which is the mighty, glorious, infinite power of our God.

Father of Glory, arrayed in splendour which is beyond our feeble comprehension, thank You for the terrible beauty of Scripture which directs the believer to begin to understand Who You Are. Blessed Savior, thank You for Your prayers at the Father’s right hand! Who, except for You, could rescue ruined and despoiled sinners so that we dare lift our eyes and our hands in prayer to You, the Triune Majesty, enthroned in righteousness and justice. Spirit of the Living God, increase our faith and imagination, so that our souls know themselves to be fully secure in the LORD God, our Refuge and in Christ, our Intercessor King seated at the Father’s right hand. Faithful God, heal Your fractured people. Jesus, our Great Bridegroom, help us, Your people, to know ourselves to be Your bride, being restored in beauty at Your command in glory. Enable us, Spirit of God, to live and act as Your people, unite from across the denominational lines and puny theological arguments which threaten to divide us, so that Your people, with one voice may declare: The LORD is King forever and ever. Amen.

https://youtu.be/NYe6EOIH1kY