The Lord's sovereignty

I have been studying the Psalms and it has been a great encouragement to me. Normally over the course of my days, I get the chance to share with people. Lately I had a discussion with someone online that left me discouraged at my inability to communicate to this person and amazed at their arrogance and pride in their sin. Then I read Psalm 11-14 and following.

The wicked strut about on every side...When vileness is exalted among the sons of men. For behold, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string...To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? Who have said, with our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is Lord over us? The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.


"In the Lord I take refuge... The Lord is in His holy temple...His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of man...May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things; The words of the Lord are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined three times. For God is with the righteous generation...But I have trusted in your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 11:3 says that if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? But the next verse clarifies, God is on the throne, the foundations are not destroyed and no matter what men may bring against the Lord, before God no flesh can stand. We only stand before Him through the blood of Christ. Because of this I can thank God for these opportunities. These encounters give me fresh fodder for prayer as well as new understandings and reminders about the hopelessness of those who don't know God. Thank you Lord, Your words are pure words, and you set us in the safety for which we long.

I like the above picture because although there is danger on every side, he is safe in the center of the barrel. The Lord holds the righteous in the palm of His hand...
Shipstern's Bluff, Tasmania