Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Psalms 1 (5)
Pray Psalm 11.1, 2, 7.
In the LORD I put my trust;
How can you say to my soul,
“Flee as a bird to your mountain”?
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…
For the LORD is righteous,
He loves righteousness;
His countenance beholds the upright.
Sing Psalm 11.1, 2, 7.
(Tidings: O Zion, Haste, Your Mission High Fulfilling)
I trust You, LORD, my great eternal refuge!
How can you say: “Friend, flee now like a bird!
Haste to the hills! The wicked would destroy you!”?
Would you cast doubts on God and on His Word?
Refrain v. 7
LORD, You are righteous, loving the just;
all will behold Your face who on Your mercy trust.
Read Psalm 11.1-7; meditate on verse 4.
Preparation
1. Where is the Lord enthroned?
2. What is He doing there?
Meditation
We have already seen, in Psalm 2, that God has set His Messiah—Jesus—on the throne in His dwelling place. In Psalm 11 we learn a bit more about how He conducts His rule.
David is responding here to some advice from an anonymous associate. The NKJV stops the advice at the end of verse 1, making David the speaker in verses 2 and 3. I think this is wrong, as do other versions. The advisor’s urgent recommendation should extend through verse 3.
Enemies are stringing their bows and ready to shoot at David. What can he possibly do to save himself but flee? He can stand his ground, looking to the Lord, exalted in glory, Who sees all things and knows how to deal with the wicked (vv. 4-6).
David sensed the Lord was testing him in this situation (v. 5). Would he trust Him for deliverance from evil? Jesus taught us to pray this way (Matt. 6.13). We cannot simply hide ourselves away from the sinful world. We must make our way in it, knowing that Jesus is on His eternal throne and dwells among us. He is with us always, and He will always do battle for righteousness. Will we trust Him to shepherd us through our trials?
Look to the Lord, David replied to his advisor. And so should we: Look to Jesus, exalted in glory. Gaze long and meditate deeply to see the glory in His face (2 Cor. 4.6). Then go your way into the wicked world, calling on your soul to be still, for the Lord is on your side.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
When our enemies begin stringing their bows for the attack, we would very much like to “flee like a bird”.
But we must stand firm in our faith, and do so courageously. And courageous we will be when “our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness” (E. Mote, 1834).
As David’s counselor questioned: “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Ps. 11.3).
The actual salvation story, the whole of it, needs to be firmly implanted in our minds, hearts, and souls for our foundation to be secure enough to righteously do what should be done. To stand. Not flee.
In the Crosfigell article, dated 30 January 2025, the definition of a Christian is succinctly spelled out—the foundation upon which we firmly place our lives, our beliefs, our hopes, and our actions.
“One is a Christian who fears and loves God,
believes in Jesus for the forgiveness of his sins,
and lives increasingly a life of holiness, righteousness, and goodness,
which is the result of obedience to God’s Law and all His Word.
This is a lifetime commitment, and not just a periodic blip on the radar screen of one’s life…”
“They maintain a ready witness for Christ, to encourage their fellow believers and lead others into the Kingdom.”
“They seek God’s Kingdom and righteousness as their defining priority in all things,
and they apply themselves to working out their salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2.12, 13).”
“They hunger for the Word of God and engage with Him there and in prayer, so that they may be prepared for whatever obedience may be required of them through the day…”
“Jesus said you would know true believers by their fruit (Matt. 7.15-20).
And the fruit of true Christian faith is perseverance in trusting Jesus and keeping His Word…”
“Being a Christian is serious business, engaging us in all our thoughts, affections, values, priorities, and practices.”
“We are not free to be Christians on our own terms.”
“True Christians are defined by God as those who hold fast their testimony and continue in His Word.”
“Faith in Jesus and obedience to God’s Word issue in love for God and neighbors as the defining mark of a true believer.”
“God blesses all who belong to Him, who hold fast the testimony of Jesus and keep His commandments, with righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.”
When our hope is built on this firm foundation we will be on solid ground. Standing firm.
But we must stand on the full Gospel. The whole Gospel.
Not just the gospel of “pray this prayer and life will be good.”
But the Gospel with the Black Box Warning attached:
“No one having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom” (Lk. 9.62).
Jesus, the One Who gave His all for us, is the One Who said those words.
Jesus, from His heavenly throne, is watching, waiting, and willing us onward (Ps. 11.4, 7).
“And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen” (Rom. 16.20).
Reflection
1. What can you do to keep the whole Gospel in mind as you go forth to serve the Lord each day?
2. How does knowing that Jesus rules from His throne on high help you get through the day?
3. Whom will you encourage today by reminding them that Jesus is Lord of all?
Do you see a ready ally, a well-prepared aid, present everywhere, seeing everything, gazing on all things, having as his particular role—even if no one requests it—to exercise providence and care, to pursue wrongdoers, to assist the wronged, to award recompense to the virtuous, to assign punishment to sinners? He is, therefore, ignorant of nothing; his eyes in fact look attentively on the whole world. John Chrysostom (344-407), Commentary on the Psalms 11.2
Pray Psalm 11.3-7.
Give thanks to Jesus that His eyes are always upon you to guide and direct your steps. Call on Him to keep you from all sin today and to show you the glory in His face (v. 7; cf. 2 Cor. 4.6).
Sing Psalm 11.3-7.
(Tidings: O Zion, Haste, Your Mission High Fulfilling)
“See how the wicked bend their bows to kill you;
now, even now, they take their deadly aim!
Shall you escape? Shall darkness deep conceal you?
What shall they do who lean upon God’s Name?”
Refrain v. 7
LORD, You are righteous, loving the just;
all will behold Your face who on Your mercy trust.
Know that the LORD is in His holy temple;
firmly His throne is fixed in heav’n on high.
His eyes behold the mighty and the simple,
His eyelids test, the sons of men they try.
Refrain
God tests the righteous as He tests the wicked;
see how His soul all evildoers hates.
He will rain coals; with fire will He afflict them.
Brimstone and burning wind shall ne’er abate.
Refrain
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
