The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. (Psalms 11:5 ESV)
I think that this concept of testing is important to remember. The Lord works in all different ways and often allows us to be tested so that we can be corrected but also as a possible way to show that we can overcome. Not always right away, but I think this is an important thing to remember as was seen in Job. I think this verse also points at the contrast between the testing that God does and the hatred that he has. These are two separate things even though we often confuse him testing a correcting us with hatred, but the first is done out of love.
"The Lord is in his holy temple;
ReplyDeletethe Lord's throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man." Psalm 11:4
This Psalm seemed a little unusual to me. A small part was the wording, but there was an incredible sense of comfort and knowledge that God is over everything. The scene on Earth seems very dark and dreary. But David has peace and full knowledge that God never stops paying attention to what's going on. God is ever present and in control. "His eyelids test the children of man" is a pretty odd statement. David is just trying to make the point that God has more control than we understand of every situation. David's level of faith is certainly something to strive to reach. I forget how much God is in control, and that everything is orchestrated to God's design. Living with this mindset would be an amazing and eye-opening insight to how truly great God is.
[In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul,“Flee like a bird to your mountain, for behold, the wicked abend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;] Psalm 11: 1-2
ReplyDeleteOn reading this, I realized how David is warning us how running from the wicked or fighting against the wicked in our own way is futile. No matter what we try ourselves the wicked will have devised a way around our defenses. Despite shooting in the dark they'll find a way to pierce our unguarded hearts. The only refuge or form of good that can save us from the wicked in this world is God. No other form of secular humanism or moral philosophy can save our souls. Only God and the sacrifice of His Son is strong enough to end the assaults of the wicked.