¹ In the LORD I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain;

 ² For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string To shoot in darkness 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 behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.

 ⁵ The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.

 ⁶ Upon the wicked He will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.

 ⁷ For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face.

This short little Psalm of David is a goldmine of truth for those who feel the weight of adverse circumstances. As life’s pressures mount, we tend to run to the familiar for assistance, turn to our peers for advice and seek deliverance from our predicament by whatever means are at our disposal. Dependence on the Lord often takes a backseat to simply finding relief in our situation.

The historic setting for Psalm 11 is usually understood in terms of the attempted coup by Absalom who sought to turn the people’s heart away from his father, King David, in order to usurp the throne of Israel and take his place as king. David’s counselors advised him to run away – after all, the very foundations of his authority had been eroded and all was lost. His enemies were lying in wait to ambush him at the first opportunity. It was time to cut and run to save himself. David’s response is epic!

God is totally in control and will sort this out for His own glory and in our best interest. Righteousness will prevail! I may have a coup mounted against me but He shall never be deposed. A strategic withdrawal may be necessary for the moment but His will shall prevail. Therefore, whatever the circumstances, I shall trust Him.

The One who has bought and paid for us with the blood of His Son has the right to spend us as He desires. He does not abuse, misuse or otherwise maltreat His children. He is pleased to invest us in this life for His own glory and to accomplish His own purposes. Our part is to trust Him in the midst, walking worthy of the calling to which we have been called and seeking to be those David calls the “upright” who will see His face.

What is true in life for the child of the King is especially important to remember as students here at Cairn. The rigors of the academic experience and the classroom handling of God’s Word can cause one to take their eyes off Christ and be overly burdened by the pressures of the student experience. Especially in this time, when every class expects so much from every student and finals come closer with every breath. When all is said and done, like David, He is molding and shaping all of us into the image of our risen Christ. This present experience is part of that process. Embrace it! Immerse yourself in the task before you for it too is an act of His sovereign plan. Study to show yourself approved – a workman that needs not to be ashamed. Be assured that “The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men….For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face.”

Written by Edgar Hardesty