When the foundations are shaken…

At one point or another, most of us have wondered like King David: “When the foundations are shaken, what can the righteous do?” I want to address this question by studying the text of Psalm 11.

Before delving further into the study, let’s note three things that King David highlights in this text. First, he emphasizes his trust in God, addressing his advisors and perhaps even himself. Next, he highlights the advice given to him and the reasons behind this advice. Finally, he answers his own question about what to do when the foundations are shaken.

David’s journey to the throne was not an easy one. It took him more than a decade to ascend to the throne after he was anointed by the prophet Samuel. His waiting period was quite eventful, starting with his victory over Goliath.

Recall that the Philistines came to challenge the Israelites to battle, presenting Goliath, a giant of a man. For 40 days, he hurled insults at the Israelites, who were too intimidated to act. This continued until Jesse, David’s father, sent him to check on his brothers, who were part of the troops sent to fight the Philistines.

David arrived just in time to hear Goliath’s insults. He remembered how, while tending his father’s flocks, he had faced a bear and a lion on different occasions and had killed them both. He knew that the Lord had his back, so he decided to confront Goliath. He trusted in God, and even though Saul offered him armor, David declined it, finding it too heavy and discerning that the battle was more spiritual than physical. Instead, he chose five smooth stones and used them to defeat Goliath.

Before proceeding, there are two lessons to learn from this story. First, Saul’s armor can be likened to reliance on the flesh. If you depend on your own strength to fight spiritual battles, it will always fail you. Second, I believe Goliath was so large that the stone could not miss him. Goliath symbolizes the mountains we face, which are so immense that the Word of God cannot miss them, because the Word of God is the sword we wield against our enemies.

Later, after this battle, the women sang praises for David, which stirred up jealousy in Saul, leading him to seek David’s life. As a result, much of David’s waiting time was spent fleeing for his life, yet God preserved him every time.

Against this backdrop, David expresses his trust in God in Psalm 11. He seems to dismiss the advice given by his advisors to flee to the mountains, asking why he should run when he can always rely on the Lord to save him.

Do you run to the mountains when faced with challenges, or do you turn to the Lord?