Psalm 11:1 In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain
The other day at about 6:30 in the morning, I was walking around a place we call the Ranch House here on the Bill Rice Ranch. As I rounded the corner of the house, I saw a deer and the deer saw me. All of a sudden, she let out that exhalation that deer do when they are scared. She took off and bounded over the fence. I know that feeling. It is like, “Hey, what am I doing here?” You just want to cut and run, to get out of there. Deer are that way when they are driven by real or perceived predators, and people can feel that way because of a number of things. Haven’t you been in a place in your life when you thought, “What am I doing here?” and you just want to run. Maybe it is your first day at college or your first day at work. It could be the tail end of some other event in your life.
In Psalm 11:1 the psalmist says, “In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?” David was in trouble and there were those who said, “Hey, just cut and run. Leave and escape to the mountain.” It continues, “For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string.” He had enemies that were shooting at him and he thought to himself, “What am I doing here?” Verse 3 says, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Sometimes it is not just one isolated thing; it is the entire foundation upon which you are standing that you feel is moving. Things you thought were stable are not, and you think to yourself, “What am I doing here?”
Verse 4 gives a change of perspective. It says, “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” God has a different perspective. His foundation cannot be shaken. Heaven cannot be touched and attacked. What would you worry about if you were God, if you knew everything, understood everything, had the power for anything? Of what would you be afraid? Nothing! But you are afraid because you know just enough to make you scared, and you don’t have all the power, money, or intelligence you need. You are not a god. It is obvious that God’s view is better.
God’s view is better regarding power. Verse 4 says, “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” Verse 7 indicates that God tries, God loves, and God sees the righteous. Verse 6 says, “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares.” If there is an archer, then there is an isolated point of attack. If the arrows and threat are coming from Heaven itself, there’s no concealment or cover to shield the wicked. So, who is great, the archer who shoots at you or the God who reigns from Heaven? The God who reigns from Heaven is greater. God’s view is better regarding power.
God’s view is better regarding time. Psalm 13 says, “How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?” The psalm goes on to reiterate this question of how long. If you ask someone how long something is, their answer will be dependent upon their perspective. Young people feel as if time just drags on and old people feel as if time is flying too quickly. God is the only one with a perfect perspective on time. God says, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried…purified seven times.” Verse 7 says, “Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” So how long will your threat last? There is an end to everything. But how long will God’s provision last? The answer is God is timeless.
God’s view is better regarding knowledge. Psalm 14 says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” Literally the fool has said in his heart, “No God.” Some people literally do not believe in a God. Other people know there is a God, but they just say, “God, no. I know you are there, but no.” Both are different kinds of atheists. One acknowledges God but does not obey Him. The other refuses to believe He even exists.
Psalm 14:2 says, “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that understand, and seek God.” That is His perspective. They don’t understand, but God does. Verse 4 says, “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?” What do you know? It is limited. What does God know? He knows everything and that is why we ask. That is why the psalmist said in Psalm 12, “Help, Lord.”
Not far from here there is a massive new subdivision, a very upscale, senior adult living neighborhood. It is a beautiful spot. Thinking about this subdivision, it occurs to me that knowledge is power. We get offers for the property of the Ranch pretty much every month. It is a growing area. The people who call asking about the property are not necessarily local. They may live in New York or Abu Dhabi. They are people who know and have the power. You have to have money to make money, and these are people who have money and knowledge, and because they have more than the average person, they can make more than the average person has ever seen. Knowledge is power. The problem is I don’t have the knowledge I wish I had. Therefore, I don’t have the power I would like to have, but God sees more. God’s view is better regarding power, regarding time, regarding knowledge. What I need today is all that God can supply. That is why we ask, and that is why we say, “Help, Lord,” knowing that God can supply what we lack.