The Lord Is In His Holy Temple

Psalm 11

Let’s be honest; life can be chaotic and burdensome. It seems as if every
week we confront new difficulties and trials. Think for a moment about the
problems you have faced in the last month. Maybe your car broke down,
your rent dramatically increased or even worse, you lost your job. Those
events could cause you to question, “What in the world is going on?” Let
me encourage you to take comfort in the fact that the Lord is still on the
throne. He is the God who does not change (Malachi 3:6). He is the same
yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Whatever is happening in
your life, you can fully trust Him!
Psalm 11 is a psalm of David. It is believed to have been written during the
period when David was a fugitive on the run from King Saul (I Samuel 20-
31). Many Bible teachers believe that David’s “time on the run” lasted
about ten years. That is crazy! I cannot imagine how chaotic and
burdensome life would be, to wake up every morning knowing that
someone is pursuing you and wanting to kill you. How would you respond?
In the first verse of this psalm, David’s friends give him some faithless
advice. They tell him to “flee like a bird to your mountain.” In other words,
they tell David that he has to take control of this situation. He has to quit
trusting and start acting. These wicked men are powerful and fully capable
of killing him and destroying God’s future promise of blessing. After all,
David can’t be Israel’s future king if he is dead.
David’s response is one of courageous trust in the sovereignty of God.
Psalm 11:4 - The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in

heaven; his eyes see the children of man.

Let’s dissect each of those phrases so we understand the truth behind
David’s confident declaration.
The Lord is in his holy temple - David probably was thinking of both the
Lord’s temple on earth (the Tabernacle) and the Lord’s temple in
heaven.We must remember that God is omnipresent. That means that He
is able to be everywhere at the same time. While He is present in heaven,
He is simultaneously present here on earth.

The idea that David seems to be conveying is that God is still accessible.
His door is always open. He has not gone anywhere. David and his
friends could still go to the Temple and meet with God.
The Lord’s throne is in heaven - This was the source of David’s
confidence. God had not been defeated, neither had He given up His
throne. He was still in charge.
Now, let’s not forget that David was still in physical danger. Saul was still
chasing after him. But David realized that Saul could not touch him without
God’s permission. I love Charles Spurgeon’s comment about David’s
precarious situation, “But what were all these things to a man whose trust
was in God alone?”
His eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man - The thought that
David is conveying is one of divine protection and safekeeping. God the
eternal watcher never sleeps or slumbers. He sees and observes
everything. He knows your condition, your wants, your dangers; He knows
all that your enemies are doing.
II Chronicles 16:9 - For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout
the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is
blameless toward Him.
Proverbs 15:3 - The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch
on the evil and the good.
I Peter 3:12 - For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his
ears are open to their prayer…
Psalm 11:4 stands in opposition to the fear that the world, or even your life,
is out of control. Yes, the world system, as we know it, may be wild,
uncontrollable and out of hand. But God is the one constant in a world of
inconsistency. He is seated on the throne! That is a powerful thought!