Psalm 11 : 1-7 (NKJV)

1 In the LORD I put my trust;How can you say to my soul,“Flee as a bird to your mountain”?2 For look! The wicked bend their bow,They make ready their arrow on the string,That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.3 If the foundations are destroyed,What can the righteous do?

Psalm 11 : 1-7 (NKJV)

4 The LORD is in His holy temple,The LORD’s throne is in heaven;His eyes behold,His eyelids test the sons of men.5 The LORD tests the righteous,But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.

Psalm 11 : 1-7 (NKJV)

6 Upon the wicked He will rain coals;Fire and brimstone and a burning windShall be the portion of their cup.7 For the LORD is righteous,He loves righteousness;His countenance beholds the upright.

IS THERE ANY HOPE?Psalm 11:1-7

Is There Any Hope? Have you ever been discouraged in

your life? I believe most, if not all of us have

faced this at one point or another in our lives

It could be a general discouragement over the direction of society in today’s world

Is There Any Hope? Perhaps it’s a personal

discouragement over something that has happened to you or a threat made against you

We become frightened, discouraged and saddened as a result

All of a sudden our view on life becomes dark and bleak

Is There Any Hope? If you have felt that way, then

you are not alone Elijah became discouraged when

his life was threatened (I Ki. 19) Peter became discouraged when

Jesus died upon the cross and was no longer with him (Jn. 21)

Is There Any Hope? David, as chosen king, was often a

target in his life (ex. Saul, Absalom, etc.)

David was certainly no stranger to things that discourage (v. 1-3)

So why did David trust and rely on God when wicked, evil people tried to overpower him?

Is There Any Hope? 1. Because God rules from heaven (v.

4) David could have hope and assurance

based upon the fact that God rules from heaven

This indicates that God knows all, that He sees all, and that He is in control!

Psalm 2 – God is watching over the affairs of man

Is There Any Hope? 1. Because God rules from heaven (v.

4) “Thus says the Lord; ‘Heaven is My throne,

and earth is My footstool…’” (Is. 66:1) We know that we can approach that throne

for help (Heb. 4:16; I Pet. 5:7) David understood that he served a God

that ruled from heaven and truly cared for him

Is There Any Hope? 2. Because God sees and

examines mankind (v. 4) It’s not just the fact that God rules

from heaven It’s the fact that “His eyes behold, His

eyelids test the sons of men” God sees and knows what is going on

around us, especially with His people

Is There Any Hope? 2. Because God sees and

examines mankind (v. 4) God saw the plight of the Israelites

and heard their cries long ago (Ex. 1:20; 2:23-25)

God continues to see and hear us today as well (Prov. 15:3; Jer. 23:24; Heb. 4:13)

Is There Any Hope? 2. Because God sees and examines

mankind (v. 4) This is why David was able to trust in

His God, even when things seemed dark

You and I need not worry about what man will do to us, but rather put our trust in the God who sees all (Ps. 56:3-4, 11)

Is There Any Hope? 3. Because God hates the wicked

and punishes their evil (vs. 5-6) There may be some who think that

God does not care about what men do Asaph almost stumbled because he

thought the wicked man prospered and actually faired better than the righteous (Ps. 73)

Is There Any Hope? 3. Because God hates the wicked

and punishes their evil (vs. 5-6) Just because God does not strike

the wicked dead here and now does not mean that there is no punishment for them

God will certainly deal with the wicked (II Thess. 1:8-9; Rev. 21:8)

Is There Any Hope? 4. Because God is righteous and

loves righteousness (v. 7) There is no need for us to fear and

be discouraged because we serve a God that is on our side

He is not like man, who is perhaps undependable or not trustworthy to do the right thing

Is There Any Hope? 4. Because God is righteous and

loves righteousness (v. 7) “For the Lord is righteous” meaning

that God Himself defines righteousness There is no question as to what God will

do or who He will side with We can depend on Him because He is

righteous

Is There Any Hope? 4. Because God is righteous and

loves righteousness (v. 7) Because God is righteous it tells us

that He loves righteousness and those who seek to live righteous lives

As we seek to live for Him and carry out His will, we can be assured that He is for us (Rom. 8:31)

Is There Any Hope? 5. Because God looks on the upright

with favor and affection (v. 7) Because God is righteous He loves

righteousness, along with those who practice such

God, therefore, also looks upon those who are upright with both favor and affection

Is There Any Hope? 5. Because God looks on the upright

with favor and affection (v. 7) This is the opposite of the message

given by man in verse 1 David’s message concerning God was

that He is one who looks down upon the upright with favor, as a protector for them