Psalm 11 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Psalm 11 Short Summary:

In Psalm 11, David finds himself in a troubling situation with his adversaries. His advisors encourage him to “flee like a bird” to safety, but David’s trust is in the Lord. He stands his ground and cries out to the Lord deliverance.

Psalm 11 Summary

AUTHOR:

• David is the author of Psalm 11.

NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES:

• No known New Testament References.

THEMES:

• The temptation to flee to safety every time things get hard.

• There are fights we cannot flee from without exhibiting a lack of trust in God.

OUTLINE:

• DAVID IS ADVISED TO “FLEE LIKE A BIRD” (11:1-3):

  • This psalm was written when David, and righteous men like him, were being threatened by enemies.

  • His advisors were counselling him to “flee like a bird to your mountain” (11:1).

  • David’s enemies were prepared to strike, and people were encouraging him to flee, like a bird that swiftly flies away from danger to a high point of safety.  

• DAVID RESPONDS TO FEAR WITH FAITH (11:4-7):

  • It appears David’s advisors may have had the best of intentions, but David wasn’t ready to run from the adversity.

  • He made his position clear; he was going to put his faith in the strength of God.

  • He wrote, “The Lord is in His holy Temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes see” (11:4).

  • God knew the situation and David’s trouble wasn’t hidden from Him.

  • The psalm reads, “The Lord tests the righteous” (11:5).

  • It appears David thought the Lord was testing him, and that it was his duty to face the trouble and remain in place.

  • He called on God to defeat his enemies, saying, “Let Him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup” (11:6).
    

APPLICATION:

• Birds are flighty creatures. They never sit still, and they take to the sky at the slightest hint of danger.

• We don’t want to imitate birds as we follow Jesus.

• There are times when we need to stand our ground for the cause of Christ.

• Standing for the truth will lead us into some confrontations that don’t allow us to retreat without abandoning our duty.

• We need to trust that God will fight for us in those moments.

• We need to pray that God will give us men and women like David.

• The Church has plenty of birds that will flee at the slightest sign of discomfort, danger, confrontation, sacrifice, or risk. What we need are men and women who forfeit the safety of the mountain to do their duty on the battlefield.