For the leader. Of David.
I
In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to the mountains!
See how the wicked string their bows,
fit their arrows to the string
to shoot from the shadows at the upright of heart.
If foundations are destroyed,
what can the just one do?”
II
The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord’s throne is in heaven.
God’s eyes keep careful watch;
they test the children of Adam.
The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
hates those who love violence,
And rains upon the wicked
fiery coals and brimstone,
a scorching wind their allotted cup.
The Lord is just and loves just deeds;
the upright will see his face.
Psalms 11:1-7
I love the confidence of this psalmist. He acknowledges how people warn us of the dangers in the world, “See how the wicked string their bows, fit their arrows to the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright of heart.” But he is completely confident that the Lord protects us.
Also, I am struck by the relevance of Psalm 11 for this holiday in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. As a Baptist minister, Dr. King lived in pursuit of Christian ideals. I have always been inspired by his ability to face such emotionally and politically charged issues with a message of peace and love.
So often, people respond to real or perceived persecution with violence and anger. It almost seems like that is the natural human response. But Dr. King demanded a non-violent protest movement. It seems today’s psalmist would agree with that approach given that, “The Lord… hates those who love violence.”
This seems particularly important to consider today. In fact, it seems that our 21st century society has forgotten some of these lessons, which I would apply to all levels of civil discourse.
I don’t think Dr. King’s message and the message of this psalm are directed only at incidences of physical violence. Let’s take the lesson to heart in our approaches to all communication with one another. A lot of times, the misunderstandings that lead to hateful words and actions could be avoided if we attend to the underlying message that our general demeanor portrays.
It is difficult to control feelings of anger in emotionally charged situations, but if we could learn to turn to God in prayer and ask for patience before we speak (or act), we could probably avoid the escalation of divisiveness that seems to plague our society.
If you have followed my blog since October, you might remember when we learned about St. Therese of Lisieux and her “little way.” (that post is here) It is all about facing every day and every situation with love in our hearts. I bet she and Dr. King would have been great friends, since they both recognized this important lesson. Let’s pray today that God will continue to guide us toward such a beautiful approach to life as we remember that, “the upright will see his face.”