WHEN FOUNDATIONS ARE BEING DESTROYED

Passage: Psalms 11:1-7

Key verse: 3

NIV

Psalm 11
For the director of music. Of David.

In the Lord I take refuge.(A)
    How then can you say to me:
    “Flee(B) like a bird to your mountain.(C)
For look, the wicked bend their bows;(D)
    they set their arrows(E) against the strings
to shoot from the shadows(F)
    at the upright in heart.(G)
When the foundations(H) are being destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”

The Lord is in his holy temple;(I)
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.(J)
He observes everyone on earth;(K)
    his eyes examine(L) them.
The Lord examines the righteous,(M)
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion.(N)
On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulfur;(O)
    a scorching wind(P) will be their lot.

For the Lord is righteous,(Q)
    he loves justice;(R)
    the upright(S) will see his face.(T)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Lord Is in His Holy Temple

To the choirmaster. Of David.

11 In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
    (A)“Flee like a bird to your mountain,
for behold, the wicked (B)bend the bow;
    (C)they have fitted their arrow to the string
    to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
if (D)the foundations are destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”[a]

(E)The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord's (F)throne is in heaven;
    his eyes see, his eyelids (G)test the children of man.
The Lord (H)tests the righteous,
    but (I)his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
Let him rain coals on the wicked;
    (J)fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be (K)the portion of their cup.
For the Lord is righteous;
he (L)loves righteous deeds;
    (M)the upright shall behold his face.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 11:3 Or for the foundations will be destroyed; what has the righteous done?

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. What can the righteous do? (1-3)

Secular humanists seem to be battering down the moral foundations of our nation. Satan chips away at the foundations of a person's life. He shoots from the shadows. What can we do? One cannot flee like a hunted bird to the mountains, for there is no place of refuge in the world. But God's people can take refuge in God.

2. The Lord is on his throne (4-7)

The Lord is holy; he dwells in his holy temple, and is seated on his throne. His eyes rove the earth; he sees everything. He sees the hearts of those who are upright. He sees the wicked and those who love violence, and his soul hates them. The Lord loves justice. He will surely rain fiery coals and burning sulfur on the wicked who do not repent. But the upright people will see his face and rejoice in his presence.

Prayer: Lord, when the foundations are being destroyed, only you can be my refuge. Let me not be like a foolish bird who seeks refuge in the mountains.

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