One of the most terrifying experiences I have ever had in my life was being on the campus of Union University when the campus was struck by a tornado in November 2002. The day that spawned the Day of Remembrance is not really a day that I care to remember too often. The memory of that night is still etched in my mind. I remember standing at the door watching the sky as it grew increasingly ominous. I remember sprinting into the bathroom to take shelter as the wind suddenly began whipping like crazy. But most of all, I remember huddling in that bathroom with about 5 other guys and suddenly realizing that I was at the mercy of something infinitely beyond my control. As one of the guys in the bathroom started praying, I remember thinking, “We are in this bathroom in hopes that it will protect us from this storm, but I most certainly have my doubts about its ability to do that.” In that moment, it felt as if the only place I could go for protection and refuge was to the Lord. It seemed as if I had no other means of protection, and it is a feeling I will never forget.
I tell that story for this reason: in the moment when I was caught in that storm, my only thought was finding somewhere to take refuge. In that instant, I was faced with a decision to seek protection somewhere. In our Psalm this morning, David finds himself in a similar situation. He is not fleeing from an approaching tornado, but he is in a situation that requires him to take refuge. And Psalm 11 is David’s meditation on his place of refuge and his reasons for going there.
The Psalm divides fairly neatly into two halves after an opening thesis statement at the beginning of verse 1. In the first verse, David expresses his hope in the Lord as a standard response in life. He then lays out, from the last half of verse one through verse three, a brief description of the situation in which he finds himself. He follows this, in the last four verses of the Psalm, with his reasons for taking refuge in the Lord. So as we look at the text this morning, we will look at each half of the text as it regards David and as it regards us.

The Thesis

David begins the Psalm by saying “In the Lord I take refuge” (v.1a). This short statement will serve as a thesis statement for the psalm as a whole. David is not in this instance addressing any particular situation. Rather, he is stating boldly that whenever he does need refuge, he flees to the Lord. The concept of a refuge might very well be an unusual one to many of us in America because we very rarely need refuge from anything. A refuge is something in which you place confidence and faith. You trust a refuge to protect you from whatever is assailing you. So, as he introduces this psalm, David flatly states from the very beginning that this is his starting point – the Lord is his refuge.
Without spending too much time on this introductory point, I do think it is important for understanding this psalm that each one of us examine ourselves and see where we stand in relation to this truth. Our heart attitude as it regards the statement “In the Lord I take refuge” will affect the entire way that we read this psalm. Perhaps you are not a Christian and you say, “Why should I take refuge in God? I am just fine on my own.” David answers this morning. Perhaps you are in the midst of a difficult situation and you say, “How can I take refuge in God? Will he fail me?” David answers this morning. Perhaps you live a pretty comfortable life and you say, “Why do I need to take refuge in God? Do I really need him?” David again provides an answer this morning. But the first thing we notice about our text is that the default position of David’s heart is that he takes refuge in the Lord. Is that the default position of our heart? If not, why not? If so, how do we labor to ensure that remains the case?
The Temptation

Having stated his desire to take refuge in the Lord, David then expresses his incredulity at the advice he seems to be receiving from those around him. It appears that evil men are attempting to take David’s life. Through the imagined voices of his counselors, David says, “…the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart” (v.2). We do not know exactly when David wrote this psalm, but we know that, numerous times in his life, David found himself in that situation. After he was anointed by Samuel, Saul hunted him and attempted to kill him. Later in David’s life, his son Absalom attempted to kill him and take his throne. So it seems that David, in the midst of evil people attempting to take his life, is receiving counsel that is contrary to the statement he made to begin the psalm. Again, through the quoted words of his counselors, David writes, “Flee like a bird to your mountain,…if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (v.1b,3). The logic seems to be: “The Mountains will protect you. Flee to them, and you will have refuge.” David is being tempted to do something contrary to the thesis he laid out at the start of the psalm.
Stepping back from this historical situation, it becomes a bit easier for us to understand what is happening. It some ways, it could frustrate us that we cannot know the historical situation that spawned a particular psalm. On the other hand, this seems to be intentional in many cases. For instance, in this particular psalm, the temptation that David is laying out via his own experience is not, “Stand up to your enemies. Show courage and do not run like you are afraid.” The issue for David is not courage but confidence, not fearlessness but faith. The issue is not, “Can I win this battle?” but “Will I take refuge in God?” There is something much greater going on in this situation – something that all of us most definitely can sympathize with even if we cannot sympathize with being chased by enemies who want to kill us. The temptation that David is facing is whether or not to trust in the Lord and trust that the Lord will protect him and keep him safe. The issue is faith and confidence in the deliverance and faithfulness of the Lord.
So, understanding that crucial fact about David’s struggle in this psalm helps us move a bit further down the road of applying this psalm to our own lives. It would be easy for us to look at David’s life and assume that we have no connection to it. We are not kings in Israel living in Old Testament times. How can we gain anything from David’s meditation? While these objections are correct, they miss the deeper issue in this psalm of which we just spoke. The issue David is addressing is not the tangible, historical temptation that he faced. Most likely, none of us are currently fleeing for our lives because an enemy is trying to kill us. Rather, the issue David is addressing is the temptation to seek refuge somewhere other than in the Lord. Quite possibly, there are some here today who can sympathize with having an enemy who – though they do not try to kill you – does ridicule you or treat you in an unjust manner. In a very real way, you may indeed be able to sympathize with David’s situation. You may know the reality of the wicked figuratively bending the bow to figuratively shoot at you. And you may know the utter reality of doubting whether you can safely take refuge in the Lord.
But for most of us, even that may not be the case. We cannot think of anyone who hates us or treats us unjustly. As far as we know, we have no physical enemies, how can we understand this temptation? I think we can understand it by understanding that the physical world is not all that exists. Indeed, the temptation laid out is anything that entices us to seek refuge somewhere other than in the Lord. As we said before, a refuge is a place to which we flee in difficult times. And the world today is full of perceived refuges. David’s alternative was the mountains. Ours range from alcohol to drugs to adultery to anger to anxiety to escapism. Any of these things can serve as a refuge – something in which we place our confidence and faith to sustain us in the midst of trouble. So, looking at it this way, the temptation does not fall so far from home. Rather than focusing on the cause of the temptation and asking “What causes me to seek refuge in something other than the Lord?” we should realize that temptations are sure to come. And the proper question is actually, “Where do I fly for refuge when times of trouble come?” This is the proper point of this psalm and we must make sure we keep that in mind.

The Truth

So, having laid out the temptation which he is facing, David spends the rest of the Psalm laying out his reason for taking refuge in the Lord (v. 4-7). In essence, David is saying, “I will take refuge in the Lord because I know this is true.” David lays out a basic truth that drives him to trust in the Lord, and then meditates on the reason why this truth drives him to that end.

The Lord is the King of the world.

The truth that David uses to encourage himself to take refuge in the Lord is that the Lord is the sovereign King of the universe. He writes in the beginning of verse 4, “The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven.” Reading this verse in light of the first section of the chapter at which we just looked, David is basically saying, “I take refuge in the Lord. Why are you telling me to flee to some other refuge? Do you not know that the Lord is sovereign over the whole world?” David is making clear that it is ludicrous for him to flee anywhere else but to the king. Who can protect him better than the King of the world? The answer is no one, and that is what David wants his counselors to understand.

The Lord sees and guides all of life.

So what is it about the Kingship and sovereignty of God that causes David to take refuge in him? The first thing David points out is that, because He is King, nothing escapes the eye of the Lord. The Lord sees and knows everything that happens. More than that, the Lord also directs those events. David writes, “his eyes see, his eyelids test, the children of man. The Lord tests the righteous” (v.4b-5a). David recognizes the fact that some might claim there is nothing the Lord can do about this situation because he does not know about it. In opposition to that thought, David makes very clear that he knows that the Lord sees what is happening to him. The Lord is not unobservant or blind when it comes to the things of this world; he is entirely engaged. He knows even when a sparrow falls to the ground, so surely he knows the struggles of this one who was the anointed King of Israel.
More than that, David points out that the Lord tests the children of man. The image here is one of refining a precious metal, like gold. In order to do that, the gold must be heated to an extremely high temperature so that all of the impurities will rise to the top and be thrown away. In order to make sure the gold is pure, it must pass through this intense testing by fire. In much the same way, David points out that the Lord tests all mankind. He not only sees what is going on but works it out so that those events serve to reveal the hearts of men. There is no need to fear that God is unaware or unconcerned with what is happening in this life, because he sees it all and uses it to test our hearts to see whether they take refuge in him or in something else.

The Lord will judge the wicked accordingly.

Another piece of this truth that causes David to stand firm in seeing the Lord as his refuge is that, as sovereign King of the world, the Lord will judge all people accordingly. First, David points out that the Lord will definitely judge the wicked as they deserve. David writes, “his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup” (v.5b-6). David wants all of his readers to know that the wicked will not escape unpunished forever. They may avoid punishment for a while, but they will never escape it for good. The Lord will execute vengeance on his enemies. It is sure and it is terrible. David continues the imagery of fire, invoking the very judgment that was meted out against Sodom and Gomorrah, to point out that the purifying fire of the Lord that tests mankind will ultimately consume the wicked. The “portion of their cup” will be the portion of God’s wrath, and they will drink it down to the dregs. This is a frightful image. But the fact that it is frightening does not make it any less true. David can take refuge in the Lord because he knows that his enemies will ultimately meet their doom at the hands of that Lord.
So, before we move on, what does this mean for us? This language of God hating the wicked might seem harsh to us, but that only evidences how weak our view of sin is and how inferior our view of the Lord is. Earlier, we mentioned that their might be some here today who are wondering, “Why should I take refuge in the Lord? I do not care about him.” This truth that we just saw should make clear that if you are an enemy of God, you will be judged. We cannot claim that we are not wicked because we are all sinful. By nature, we are objects of God’s wrath. And if nothing changes in your heart at some point while you live on this earth, you will find that the portion of your cup is the horrible wrath of God. God is infinitely holy (without any spot or wrong or blemish or sin) and those who are wicked cannot be in his presence. Because of their wickedness and sinfulness, they will be consumed. And notice that it does not say that God’s hates the wickedness. It says he hates the wicked. The Lord does not punish adultery; he punishes adulterers. He does not punish lying; he punishes liars. Like David, I would say to you: do not trust in yourself. Fly for refuge to the Lord, because any other refuge is a false refuge that will disappoint you. Know that the Lord is sovereign over the world and he will judge the wicked.
For the rest of us who are believers, there are a number of ways we can apply this truth. First, for those who perhaps are enduring the taunts and jabs and injustices of the wicked, take refuge in the Lord because there will come a day when the wicked will be judged. It is not in question; it is absolutely sure. Do not take ultimate justice into your own hands, but bear the reproaches of the wicked as you entrust yourself to God and his judgment. Second, we should use this truth to fight against sin in our own lives. Paul, in Ephesians 6:12, writes, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Though we may not suffer at the hands of tangible wicked people, we do fight wicked authorities and powers – including the power of wickedness that still lies hidden in our own hearts. Take refuge in God and do not fuel that wickedness. We have just seen that terrible judgment is all that awaits the wicked, so let us flee from that wickedness and take refuge in the Lord. Sin offers the illusion of refuge, but in the end that refuge turns out to be a trap. It is deceitful and sickening. Fight against that wickedness. And third, trust that there will come a day when those wicked powers are finally defeated. They will be judged and they will receive “the portion of their cup.”

The Lord will deliver the righteous accordingly.

Alongside these meditations on the future judgment of the wicked, David also draws solace from the fact that God, as sovereign King of the universe, is totally righteous and will deliver the righteous person. He writes, “For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face” (v.7). Here, David declares that he can take refuge in the Lord because he knows the Lord’s character – he is utterly righteous. And David knows that the righteous will be delivered by this righteous King. And that is reason enough to take refuge in the Lord for David. As we saw earlier, David’s counselors were advising him to forget about God and take refuge somewhere else. David wants to make clear in the last half of this psalm that fleeing anywhere else for refuge is utterly hopeless because the only sure refuge is the Lord. It is not as if there are many refuges from which to choose; rather, the Lord is the only true refuge. He is the only one who can be declared inherently “righteous.” And those are upright and take refuge in him “shall behold his face.”
Again, for those who are not believers, you might say, “If I cannot stand before God in my wickedness, what should I do? I cannot just make myself righteous.” The answer is to repent of your sins and place your faith in Christ. You are right that none of us is inherently upright – we must seek to join ourselves to the one who was perfectly righteous when he lived on this earth: Jesus Christ. Follow him; take refuge in him, and you will be saved. You will behold the face of the Lord. Like the thief on the cross who was bearing the proper punishment for his wickedness, if you will but have faith, you will receive paradise.
For those who are believers, continually entrust yourself to Christ. Cling to the cross above all else and know that you are upright and accepted because of Jesus Christ. On top of that, pursue holiness. The glory of the Christian life is that the Lord makes you in actuality what he has already made you positionally. That is, at the moment of salvation, the Lord declares you to be righteous even though you are not actually righteous. You are declared not guilty even though you are guilty. But, as you continue to live life on this earth, the Lord makes into what he has declared to be true of you. As Christians, we are becoming holy and upright and righteous. And we must seek our refuge in the Lord if this is to happen. As we said before, a refuge is something in which you place your faith. The Christian life is one of continued faith in the Lord. Anything that tempts you to find refuge somewhere other than the Lord is a temptation to not believe in the Lord. Make sure that you are walking in a way that demonstrates that the attitude of your heart is “In the Lord I take refuge.” This is a must for us as believers.
Further, we as believers must encourage one another in this task. Often times, in the midst of persecution and suffering and injustice and struggle with sin, it becomes almost impossible for us to exhort ourselves, like David in this psalm, to take refuge in the Lord. We need the community to exhort us as well. May we not be guilty of encouraging false refuges like fear and anger and escapism. May we hold up the Lord as our sole refuge in life.

The Example

There is one more thing that we should take from the text this morning. David’s life, almost in its entirety, was meant to point us to a greater King. God promised David that he would have a Son that lived forever, and – in so many ways – David’s life pointed to a life that was yet to come. The same holds true of this psalm. David’s suffering was but a foreshadowing of a greater suffering. The injustice David endured was but a foreshadowing of a greater injustice. The struggle David had was but a foreshadowing of a greater struggle. David, in the midst of this difficult circumstance, looked to the position and character of God to cause his soul to take refuge in the Lord. We, standing where we are in redemptive history, can look to the cross. The cross is the paradigm example of everything we see in our psalm this morning. It is at the cross that we see the greatest suffering and injustice that has ever been. And it is on the cross that we see what truly taking refuge in the Lord looks like. Taking refuge in the Lord is not avoiding or escaping suffering. It is submitting to the will of our Lord and holding fast to him in the midst of that suffering. It is in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus that we see God’s ultimate vindication of the righteous alongside his ultimate defeating and judgment of wickedness and sin.
We need look no further than the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ and the Messiah, to see how we should react in the midst of difficulty. Peter makes clear that Jesus’ suffering is an example to us of how to suffer while we entrust ourselves – and all judgment – to our Creator. We endure because Christ endured. And we take refuge in the Lord because Christ took refuge in the Lord. There is no other refuge in the world than the Lord. Do not be deceived. As we go forth this week, may we go forth with hearts that can boldly declare, “In the Lord I take refuge.” And may we encourage each other to do that as well. Amen.

THE LORD AS OUR REFUGE