If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? Psalm 11:3
This verse, standing alone, causes a bit of alarm in our souls… does it not? When looking at it and then at the dangerous world around us we can feel helpless, hopeless, distraught, downcast, and in loss of the light that once gave us peace and security. Without a doubt, some of our very most sacred foundational laws have been destroyed recently, and surely there are more destined to the same demise.
But then there are some who would say that it is time to “fight back”. Some see the “foundations” as the Christian influence of the Founding Fathers of America. They see the greatest threat coming from those who seek to impose liberal or even communistic ideas and laws on our nation. As time progresses, they fear the continuous rewrite of American history, and how it skews historical events to suit their own political mission, that is, to recreate a nation that is more palatable to those who love sin and hate God.
Others feel strongly about the book of Genesis and see evolution as a major threat to the “foundation” of the Word of God. Some have worked relentlessly to “shore up” the “foundations” of Biblical teaching to children and the Christian family. Their solution is to teach children that the Bible (specifically creation) makes “more sense” than evolution (which it most certainly does).
Both groups (and I am sure many others) seem to say that we need to fix, repair, rebuild, stabilize, and secure our foundations or else there will be nothing that we (the righteous) can do. If we don’t act and protect “our foundations” we will be doomed… for as the Psalm says “what can the righteous do?”
So, now is the time to act… all hands on deck… man your battle stations… remember the Alamo… right? Well… before we go all gung-ho and try to “save the world” on our own, let’s check the context of that little verse in Psalm 11 and make sure we know what we’re talking about. Or rather, let’s make sure we know what God is talking about…
In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain; for, behold, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:1-3
Look at that first verse… “In the Lord I take refuge”… Hmmmm… maybe that’s the answer. In fact, it is. David is saying, “I take refuge in the Lord” and then he says, “How can you say to my soul…” The following words, through the end of verse 3, were spoken to David not by David. David is repeating the words of the messenger right back at him in the form of a stiff rebuke, and is in essence saying, “How dare you say that!”
Why the rebuke? Because fleeing to his mountain (the counsel given) was not the righteous response… it was not from God. Because the “fact” that the righteous were doomed if the foundations were destroyed was not true at all! The truth is this—if the foundations are destroyed the righteous can run to the Lord!
Therefore, David is responding to his panic-stricken follower, or maybe even his enemy who is giving a taunt of despair. Either way, David doesn’t care that the foundations are, or could be, destroyed. He doesn’t care that the wicked are out in full force seeking the lives of the righteous. He is not going to flee and seek shelter in a mountain. Why? Because he is taking refuge in the Lord!
I am glad and grateful there are groups that seek to raise up the next generation of children (and teach the parents as well) in Biblical truth about Creation. Evolution, if it were not for its blatant rebellion against God, is almost comical in how inaccurate, inconsistent, and “shaky” it is. I support these ministries in every endeavor to encourage parents not to take a back row seat in their kid’s education and let them be brainwashed into believing ridiculous and dangerous nonsense (about evolution).
But we need to follow David’s example and not seek to make our own “mountain” to flee to for shelter. We certainly cannot place our trust in the “protection” of our “foundations”… Even if we don’t see ourselves as fleeing to a mountain we need to understand we are in disobedience to God if we don’t take refuge in Him.
We cannot lose sight of reality; God has decreed that things will go from bad to worse, and from worse to hideous. Our responsibility is to take refuge in Him and be obedient to His calling. This might very well mean standing up for truth and being mocked, persecuted, or even imprisoned for it. But our goal must be obedience to God—not changing the nation or the world.
For those who take refuge in the Lord there are wonderful promises of vindication, protection, and reward. May the Words of Psalm 11 (in it’s entirety) leave you well…
In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain; for, behold, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain snares; fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His face.
Written by Caleb Jensen, Director of WORD Center Ministries
