443_God’s righteousness is a refuge to the righteous Psalm 11 In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain, 2 for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark 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 see, his eyelids test the children of man. 5 The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. 6 Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face. In 2011, a tsunami hit Japan. One of the videos that went viral showed a man standing on the rooftop of a sturdy building. Waves crashed around him, and debris swept through entire neighborhoods. While screams of panic rent the air, he stood calm, just because the structure beneath his feet held firm. That’s what Psalm 11 is all about. When social and moral order seems to be collapsing, chaos all around, and evil seems to be winning, the righteous stand strong because they have a firm foundation. The psalm begins with confidence. “In the Lord I take refuge,” he says, and asks his unnamed adviser why he should flee “like a bird to its mountain.” David’s friend warns, “The wicked have bent their bows. The foundations are being destroyed. What can the righteous do?” When laws are ignored, when violence is applauded, when standing for truth brings mockery and hardship, what can the righteous possibly do but run? But David’s answer is simple. “The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven.” God’s throne stands firm, on its foundation of righteousness and justice. He is still sovereign over the world he made. David doesn’t deny the danger. He acknowledges the wicked are aiming in the dark, seeking to destroy. But his eyes are lifted higher, to the throne of God. Despite the turmoil below, God is still in control. This is the root of hope. David reminds us that “His eyes see, His eyelids test the children of man.” These words remind us that God is not a distant observer. He is carefully observing and discerning what goes on in the hearts of all people. Far from being a passive gaze, the divine examination has a purpose. Verse 5 is key: “The Lord tests the righteous.” Throughout Scripture, we see God testing those He loves — not to punish or destroy them, but to strengthen them. In Zechariah 13:9, we read, “I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’” The end of testing is deep-seated and steadfast trust