In Psalm 11 and 12, King David is in a place you would most often find a king: at war. His enemies are closing in, preparing their armies, and ready to destroy David and all that he stands for. Even though the vast majority of us reading through the Psalms Study this summer aren’t kings facing armies, we can easily relate with the thought of enemies closing in on our lives. The troubles of life are always present and sometimes we feel helpless against the evils of the world.
“In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows…’”
Though David’s courage in questioning why anyone would even say “flee” is extremely admirable, it seems to be all we are doing in this day and age. We flee from trouble, we push people away, and we burn bridges. It seems as if we have forgotten all of the times that we have been provided refuge and strength from the Lord.
“You Lord will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.”
If we trust in God’s unfailing love, we can build those bridges back and bring people close again. being like Jesus doesn’t look like fleeing to the hills or being distrustful; it looks like having an open heart and facing the troubles of your life.
