Psalm 11 What can the righteous do?

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

What an excellent question! As we look around us I think it is safe to say that the foundations are crumbling: our moral bearings, righteousness in the land, the family, the church. In times like these, “what can the righteous do?” I believe the answer to the question is in the Psalm.

Here is the entire Psalm:

1    In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

2    For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string,

      that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

3    If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

4    The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven:

      his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

5    The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

6    Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest:

      this shall be the portion of their cup.

7    For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

In order to get the picture we need to move backward from v 3:

The foundations are being thrown down and the wicked are emboldened to attack the righteous. The situation is disquieting, to say the least. And the righteous man is told to Flee as a bird to your mountain. What can the righteous do?

His answer actually opens the Psalm, in the Lord put I my trust. Amen! I put my trust in the Lord. Not in men, government, money, but in the Lord. Faith. What can the righteous do? Trust in the Lord! The world laughs at us for this and quite honestly, the flesh struggles with this. “The foundations are being destroyed and you want me to trust in the Lord?” Yes. This Psalm presents three levels of faith but it begins with this, Put your trust in the Lord.

Read Habakkuk. The foundations were being destroyed in his day and he cried out to the Lord. He got an answer he didn’t like or understand (ch 1). In 2:1-5 we read, I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me . . . And the LORD answered me, and said . . . the just shall live by his faith. Put your trust in the Lord.

When the disciples began to realize that Jesus was going away, their foundation was being destroyed. What did Jesus tell them? Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  Put your trust in the Lord!

The Beatles got it wrong. They sang, "When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be." No. In times of trouble, Put your trust in the Lord!

I said there are three levels of faith spoken of in Psalm 11. Put your trust in the Lord is the first. The second level is in v 4, The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven… God is on the throne. He is in control. So he becomes my confidence. When the times they are a-changing my confidence is in the unchanging God. There is a difference between I put my trust in the Lord and the Lord is my confidence. Consider money. So often I trust the Lord for an emergency but my confidence is in the economy or my job. Am I at the place where the Lord is my confidence, my hope?

Then I come to the place where I know, his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. This is judgment. God has the final word. He will make all things right. I trust in the Lord, he is my confidence, and I know he will prevail. He will reward the righteous.

So, is that it? When the foundations are being destroyed do we just put our trust in the Lord? No. That is our foundation, that is what will get us through, but this faith leads us on: the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. What can the righteous do? Live righteously. When everything around us is falling apart, we live righteously. Living for Jesus has become a cultural thing, but it was never meant to be that. We go against the grain. This is a narrow way and as Jesus said, If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. When everything around us is lax and unrighteousness is the cool and acceptable thing, we live righteously.

What can the righteous do? Trust in the Lord and live righteously. Sounds a lot like:

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Convicted by my own blog! Amen!

A few notes from Adam Clarke’s commentary on Psalm 11 [my comments are in brackets]

verse 4 The Lord is in his holy temple ] David’s answer to those who urge him to flee to the mountains: He is still to be sought and found in the place where he has registered his name. I may expect his presence in the temple; he has not promised to meet me in the mountain.

Verse 5. The Lord trieth the righteous ] He does not abandon them; he tries them to show their faithfulness, and he afflicts them for their good.

His soul hateth. ] The wicked man must ever be abhorred of the Lord; and the violent man-the destroyer and murderer-his soul hateth; an expression of uncommon strength and energy.

[He had before him a very early English translation of the Bible] my old Manuscript translates and paraphrases thus [I offer v 6 and 7 in the old spelling, then in modern spelling and I changed the spelling in the commentary to make it easier to read]:

verse 6 He sal rayne on synful, snares, fyre, brimstane, and gost of stormis.

             He shall rain on sinful, snares, fire, brimstone, and ghost of storms.

Paraphrased –

He Shall rain on sinful in this world, snares…

fire is covetousness:

brimstone, that is stink of ill works:

and ghost of storms, that is a stormy [life] that is without rest in Jesus Christ.

Or this is the last separating of sinful from righteous men, and there fire, brimstone, storm… that is, they are their part in pain. He calls their pain a "cup" for such a damned man shall drink of the sorrow of Hell, after the measure of his Sin. Behold the pains of wicked men: first, God rains upon them snares, that is when he allows false prophets that come in clothing of meekness; and within they are worse than wolves, to deceive them through error. Then the fire of lechery, and covetousness wastes all the good that they have done: afterward for stink of ill works they are cast away from Christ, and all his Saints; as in a great storm, driven into a pit of Hell, to burn in fire without end. This is the intent of this verse.

Verse 7. For ryghtwis es Lord; and he lufes ryghtwisnes; evennes saw the face of hym …]

              For righteous is Lord; and he loves righteousness…]

If ye ask why our Lord yields pain to sinful [men]? lo here is an answer; for he is righteous. Also if ye will know why he gives joy to good men? Lo here is an answer; for he loved righteousness

[And the conclusion of the matter, in the words of Adam Clarke:]

You say the foundations are cast down; yet I despair not, for God is sufficient.

He is present in his holy temple; he can defend.

He is a great King, and his throne is in heaven.

Nothing is hidden from him: "His eyes behold, and his eyelids," &c.

Confession of a Christian who does not have a church

Confession of a Christian who does not have a church

or

I believe in Jesus but I have no church

A Facebook friend recently posted a link to an article by R.C. Sproul Jr. In this article, one of the first things he said was: If you are not under the authority of name-able specific elders, you are not part of the visible church and thus do not have a credible profession of faith. Repent, and get under authority.

Ouch! I don’t know what “name-able specific elders” means, but I say again, Ouch! I confess, I believe in Jesus, but I am not now part of a local church. But, I have a really good explanation for this. Well, maybe not really good, or even very good, but I can explain.

First, I realize I need to be in church. Yes, for the worship. Yes, for the Word. But also for the fellowship. I need this. I want this. Yet I am not in a church. Why not?

I have tried. I believe in the local church so I keep trying churches in Rock Hill. I pray and search. I search and pray. But nothing. Why? I have a better idea of what I would like to find in a church, but still no church.

I work third shift. And I work every Saturday night. Sunday morning is the end of my work week and I am tired. Flimsy, but real. The hardest part of working third shift is your first day off. I still wrestle with what to do: Do I stay up all day and fall asleep between 5 and 7 pm? Do I stay up in the morning and sleep all afternoon? Do I sleep in the morning and wake up in mid-afternoon? What a conundrum! I confess, I feel better the rest of the day when I sleep in the morning. But this is about my lack of church not my lack of sleep!

I have been to a lot of churches. I’ve walked out of really bad services and fallen asleep during boring services. I even got yelled at by one pastor for questioning him about his sermon. We did pick a church and purpose to become part of this fellowship. After church one Sunday I told my wife, Feel free to continue to attend, but I cannot go anymore. Well, she wouldn’t go without me and really felt the same way. Back to square one.

I know that my biggest problem has been that I was the pastor for so many years. I struggle with how they are doing this and teaching that. But I really think time away has helped with that.

I admit, I want a contemporary traditional church, a liturgical contemporary service, an evangelically charismatic church. Is that too much to ask? OK, that is why I was pastor! Truly,

I want to be able to worship the Lord

where the Holy Spirit is present and free

the Word is taught full and accurately

and Jesus is exalted continuously

Is the problem with the Church in Rock Hill or with me? Since this is my blog and everything else in my life and in the world is my fault, then I go with Door A. Seriously, I believe in the church and want to find one. My prayer can be summed up in two verses:

turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:

I will guide thee with mine eye.

The melancholy of February

Here we are in February. Nearly the end of February and I do believe spring has sprung.

Whenever February rolls around I start to get mildly depressed because I realize the hope of another snow is fading fast. And this leads to me contemplate once again fall and winter.

I like fall. There’s a brightness, a cleanness, a crispness to the air. The colors are amazing and beautiful. As the temperatures begin to drop you have to start layering your clothes. I know this is strange, but I like the way it feels to wear layers. This lasts into early spring.

There is so much anticipation in the fall. First frost. When will the leaves turn? When will they peak? Thanksgiving. Advent. Christmas. Advent and Christmas are seasons so full of joy and light and hope! The possibility of snow. And the music. I love Christmas music. And, while I have never been big on this, there is the coming of a new year.

Once winter sets in, it is a different story. Winter actually begins in December, on the 21^st, and is part of what is for me a joyous season. But January and February are different. They are sort of gloomy for me. There is still the possibility of snow, always a delight. I love snow. Love the hope of it and watching it’s silent fall, the way it covers the ground and changes the appearance of everything. How crisp the days are! And listening to it crunch under foot. And I like cold weather! Yet these are sad, gloomy months for me.

Why? If it is not the winter elements themselves, what is it? There is nothing to look forward to. Nothing to anticipate. And this accentuates the barrenness.

Ahh, but you say, "There is spring. Spring is coming." I like the spring. It’s bright. A different kind of bright than the fall, but a definite brightness. And I love to get home from work in the morning and hear the birds singing. But that puts January and February in that dismal light – you are just waiting for them to end. And that seems so negative. I prefer the positive anticipation of fall.

I realize transitions are difficult for me. I like to think I take pleasure in the season I am in. Some folks are forever looking forward to the next season: "Can’t wait till spring gets here." Or summer etc. When it’s spring I enjoy spring; when it’s summer, the summer. When it’s fall, the fall. And, I like winter. But January and especially February… winter is in its last gasp. The only 'celebration' is the end of something. That’s depressing.

I will enjoy the spring. But right now, there is the melancholy of February.

Johnson Oatman, Jr.

Something in my last post got me thinking about Johnson Oatman, Jr (1856-1922). I have found that many people know don’t know hymns by their title. They may know the song, just not by the title. Even fewer know who wrote them. But I like to know the name of the hymn (helps you search for it!), the meter (helps you sing it to a different tune if you don’t know the one in the book) and the author. And Johnson Oatman, Jr is one of my favorites.

He was ordained as a Methodist Episcopal minister, but only served as a local preacher. I’m not really sure what that meant in his day, but he never pastored, instead he worked full time in retail and insurance. This is the cool thing – he was not a professional, but he clearly loved the Lord and had a deep experience of His grace. When he was 36 years old he started writing gospel songs. He wrote 5,000 songs. It was said he averaged 4 to 5 new hymns each week. His texts were always in great demand by the leading gospel musicians of his day, including Charles Gabriel, William James Kirkpatrick and Edwin Excell.

Here are some of his songs that are still sung today. I invite you sing along. In fact, I spent much of last night singing. Yes, at work, out loud!

Count Your Blessings (this may be the best known one today; it is fun to sing the parts in the refrain)

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done! 2x

The Fire Is Burning (how biblically literate they were! Do we know what Mt Pisgah refers to? We should)

I’ve been on Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,

And I’ve satisfied my longing heart’s desire;

For I caught a glimpse of glory bright,

And my soul is burning with the fire.

O the fire is burning, yes, ’tis brightly burning,

O ’tis burning, burning in my soul. 2x

I will walk with Jesus, bless His Name,

And to be like Him I ev’ry day aspire;

For His love is like a heav’nly flame,

And my soul is burning with the fire.

I my all upon the altar lay,

As I to my closet lovingly retire;

And the flame consumes while there I pray,

And my soul is burning with the fire.

He Included Me (this is one of my favorites, so bright and joyful!)

I am so happy in Christ today,

That I go singing along my way;

Yes, I’m so happy to know and say,

“Jesus included me, too.”

Jesus included me, yes, He included me,

When the Lord said, “Whosoever,” He included me. 2x

Gladly I read, “Whosoever may

Come to the fountain of life today”;

But when I read it I always say,

“Jesus included me, too.”

“Freely come drink,” words the soul to thrill!

O with what joy they my heart do fill!

For when He said, “Whosoever will,”

Jesus included me, too.

Higher Ground (this may be as nearly well known as Count Your Blessings)

I’m pressing on the upward way,

New heights I’m gaining every day;

Still praying as I’m onward bound,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

Lord, lift me up and let me stand

By faith, on Heaven’s table land,

A higher plane than I have found;

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay

Where doubts arise and fears dismay;

Though some may dwell where those abound,

My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,

Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;

For faith has caught the joyful sound,

The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height

And catch a gleam of glory bright;

But still I’ll pray till Heav’n I’ve found,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

No, Not One

There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus,

No, not one! No, not one!

None else could heal all our soul’s diseases,

No, not one! No, not one!

Jesus knows all about our struggles,

He will guide till the day is done;

There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus,

No, not one! No, not one!

Worthy the Lamb (this is my favorite of all his songs. I learned this on my own, at the piano!)

“Worthy is the Lamb,” the hosts of Heaven sing,

As before the throne they make His praises ring;

“Worthy is the Lamb the book to open wide,

Worthy is the Lamb Who once was crucified.”

Oh, this bleeding Lamb, oh, this bleeding Lamb,

Oh, this dying Lamb, He was found worthy. 2x

Worthy is the Lamb, who shed His precious blood

To restore a world to happiness and God;

“When no eye could pity and no arm could save,”

Jesus for our ransom, Himself freely gave.

Worthy is the Lamb, the bleeding sacrifice

Who for Adam’s race paid such a fearful price;

Worthy is the Lamb, the Paschal Lamb of God,

For the world received “Redemption thro’ His blood.”

“Worthy is the Lamb,” let men and angels sing,

“Worthy is the Lamb,” let hallelujahs ring;

And when life is past, upon the golden shore,

“Worthy is the Lamb,” we’ll shout forevermore.

See http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/o/a/oatman_j.htm  for all the words to these and more. In fact, when you click on a song you hear the tune - no introduction, they just jump right in.

Freedom and Paul, part 2

I originally thought this would be mostly about deliverance, but there was so much more.

Bond or free

1 Cor 7:21  Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

1 Cor 7:22  For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

1 Cor 9:1  Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

1 Cor 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Gal 4:31  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Eph 6:8  Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

Col 3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

In all of these verses Paul refers to a status common in their day, bond or free. That is, the slave and the free man. There are three points of emphasis:

(1) The Gospel is open to all

(2) All believers are equal members of the body of Christ. Ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

(3) 1 Corinthians 7 has a very interesting and little spoken of principle

20  Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

21  Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

22  For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

23  Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

24  Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

The passage speaks of the servant and the free man, but the context includes marriage and celibacy (getting and staying married, and virgins). The principle is, Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. You can make a change, but don’t rush into anything.  This does not refer to sinful behavior, which we are to forsake, but to position and status. Don’t leave your wife, don’t quit your job just because you are now a believer. He discusses the possibilities of this happening and how to go about it in this chapter.

Ye are bought with a price

We used to sing a little song:

I'm not my own, I belong to Jesus

He purchased me, I'm all his

Bought with a price, the blood of Jesus

I’m not my own, I’m his

Amen!

Liberty

Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

This is the resurrection of the body. I love it, glorious liberty! The Christian life and hope is not all about here and now. We are waiting for the coming of Christ and the resurrection of our bodies! See I Can’t Wait To See Jesus at the end.

Deliver

Rom 7:6  But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Free from the law—oh, happy condition!

Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;

Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,

Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

Once for all—oh, sinner, receive it;

Once for all—oh, doubter, believe it;

Cling to the cross, the burden will fall,

Christ hath redeemed us once for all.       (P.P. Bliss)

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

See Romans 8

Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Jesus is a full time deliverer!

These final three are powerful statements:

Gal 1:4  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Col 1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

1 Th 1:10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

This is the work of The Deliverer. Amen! It would do us well to study each of these deliverances: what they involve and how they apply to us. Again I say, Amen!

I Can’t Wait To See Jesus

I can't wait to see Jesus
In His glory as he bursts from the sky
I can't wait to be held in his arms,
and see the glimmer in his eye
Tell me how it's gonna be,
read it from the Bible again
I can't wait to see Jesus,
'cause Jesus is coming again

I can't wait to hear trumpets
'cause I know what they mean when they sound
I can't wait to cast off my burdens,
and feel my feet leave the ground
Tell me how it's gonna be,
read it from the Bible again
I can't wait to see Jesus,
'cause Jesus is coming again

I can't wait to see heaven
and to walk those streets of gold
I can't wait to check into my mansion,
and get my sleeping bag unrolled
Tell me how it's gonna be,
read it from the Bible again
I can't wait to see Jesus,
'cause Jesus is coming again

Oh, Jesus is coming again
Oh, Jesus is coming again

Jesus is coming again!

(Pat Terry, 1973)