“In the LORD I put my trust; how can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain’?” (v. 1). When danger presses close, instinct asserts itself quickly. The heart scans for exits. Fear whispers that survival depends on speed, concealment, or retreat. David hears those voices, perhaps even from well-meaning counselors. The threat is undeniable: “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” (v. 2). Violence lurks in shadow. Prudence seems to demand escape. Yet David answers with deliberate resolve. His readied confession is neither impulsive nor naïve: “In the LORD I put my trust” (v. 1a). Even when the foundations appear to fracture and the structures that once supported life crumble (v. 3a), faith refuses to scatter. It remains anchored, choosing trust over panic and presence over flight.
“The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in Heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men” (v. 4). David’s confidence is grounded in a vision that extends beyond immediate peril. God’s reign is undisturbed. His throne stands unthreatened by human schemes or collapsing institutions. Nothing obscures His sight. He scrutinizes every heart, weighs every intention, and judges with unclouded discernment. The righteous are known and upheld. The violent and corrupt stand exposed before His justice (vv. 5-6). Faith, therefore, redirects its gaze from unstable ground beneath its feet to the unassailable throne above it. What cannot be stabilized below is secured by what cannot be shaken above.
This psalm articulates the posture of faith and instability. It speaks into moments when institutions fail, when cultural contempt sharpens, and when personal security erodes. The temptation to retreat—whether into fear, silence, or abandonment—can feel overwhelming. Psalm 11 counsels steadiness. It calls God’s people to remain rooted in the practices through which God sustains us: worship, prayer, and the Word. These are not acts of defiance for their own sake; they’re acts of trust shaped by the conviction that Christ reigns regardless of circumstance. The encouragement offered here is neither hollow reassurance nor shallow optimism. It rests on the deeper certainty that Christ’s throne does not sway, even when earthly structures do.
Why? “For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright” (v. 7). That is, because of the promise of divine favor. God’s gaze rests upon His people with purposeful care. In Christ, this righteousness isn’t a threat to endure but a gift received (cf. Romans 3:21-22, 24). The Righteous One has already endured judgement on behalf of sinners so that God’s face now shines upon them in mercy. When the world urges retreat, concealment, or surrender, the faithful echo David’s confession with quiet resolve: “In the LORD I put my trust,” for the Lord remains in His temple, enthroned in Heaven, and His eyes rest upon His people with lovingkindness.
The Lutheran Column 