Psalm 11:1
I have found that it is very easy to become discouraged at times when I look upon circumstances strictly from an outward perspective. David must have experienced this also in his life. During the crisis that he describes in this psalm, he didn’t let an outward look determine the level of his confidence. He didn’t abandon his post when the enemy threatened, but remained on duty, fully trusting in the Lord to protect him. He didn’t simply look around–he looked up! Evidently, there were some who counseled David to flee like bird to the mountains, to tuck tail and head for the hills. They didn’t have the same faith in God that he had.
Whenever crisis comes our way in life, we need to be very careful to who we turn to for advice. Not all counsel is good counsel. This psalm teaches us that we can choose to live in fear of man or by faith in God. We can walk by sight, or we can walk by faith. We can look around and listen strictly to human wisdom, or we can look up and obey the wisdom that comes from the Lord.
When you look around, you only see the problems. But when you look up to the Lord by faith, you see the answer to those problems. It is good to know the facts, but it is much better to see those facts in the light of both God’s presence and His eternal promises. Don’t just look around–look up!
For more, read Psalm 11:1-7
