Psalm 11

The Foundations are Being Destroyed

He hates with a passion?  That is the thing that sticks out to me about this short Psalm like it was written in 10 foot letters!  The God that I love, to me, is not the kind of guy who hates anything with a passion.  However, this is how David describes those who love violence.  That again, is striking to me, since David made his hay as a warrior.  In fact, he was THE warrior of ancient Judea, and ancient warfare was nothing but violent.  Not to say that David was a lover of violence, but he was certainly no stranger to it.  Even more confusing is God's treatment of those who love violence, since raining burning sulfur seems like a pretty violent solution to those who love violence.

Maybe the violence in this psalm isn't the kind of violence we're accustomed to.  Checking the dictionary, the first definition of violence is the use of physical force.  However, the second definition might be the correct usage for this psalm; Great destructive force or energy.  Looking over the first half of this Psalm, the scene is set as a righteous man standing alone against the force of wickedness in the world.  There is lament as it seems there is no hope for the good, and the evil of the world seems to consume everything around him.  "The foundations are being destroyed" David writes of the righteousness of the world.  To destroy that foundation, it would require a great destructive force.

What is this foundation?  What is the rock on which the good of this world is built on?  It's the Word of God.  It's the love of God.  It's the knowledge that there is a God who looks out for His people no matter what.  So who are those who love violence?  Who are those who take a great destructive force to the foundations?  It's those who refuse the love of God.  It's those who put themselves and the world before God and His kingdom.  It's those who turn a blind eye to the suffering of the world, and instead satisfy their own needs.  Those violent people surrounding David did not brandish swords and spears, but instead selfish hearts and spiteful words.

In the first chapter of Isaiah, we hear God speak again about a passionate hatred: Your New Moon Feasts and your appointed festivals, I hate them with all of my being. They have become a burden to me.  I am weary of bearing them (Isa: 1-14).  This time, his hatred is pointed towards his followers who have lost their way.  Their feasts and festivals are hollow to God, because they are not sincere.  While they pay lip service to God through their festivals, their hearts betray their actions.  God "hates" those who appear to obey Him in speech, but fail to do so through their works.  They have turned away from God.  They are crumbling the foundation of the righteous.  They are a destructive force against God.

No one can say that they have not been violent against God.  No one is completely righteous.  However, he always offers hope that we can return to him.  David closes by telling us that God is just, and the upright will see his face.  We cannot see God's face if all of our focus is towards the Earth, but only if we look up towards God's Kingdom.  God is always willing to forgive, as long as we have the strength to look towards Him.

©Billy Heller

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

4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth;
    his eyes examine them.
5 The Lord examines the righteous,
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion.
6 On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulfur;
    a scorching wind will be their lot.

7 For the Lord is righteous,
    he loves justice;
    the upright will see his face.