When things fall apart

'There is nothing a man can do when things fall apart.'
Psalm 11

So goes the advice given to David in Psalm 11. Other translations say the foundations are crumbling, law and order are no more. The wicked are firing their arrows everywhere. Flee to the mountains, cry David's friends.

I may not be living in a lawless society or fearing violence, but I expect we have all had times where it felt like things were falling apart. I have talked before of when my children were diagnosed with ASD and then epilepsy, and how one trouble came hot on the heels of another. As I sat in the hospital ward after receiving Alice's diagnosis of epilepsy it felt like the foundations of our lives were crumbling. My heart said 'God where are you and what's going on? How does my faith stand up to this?'

I had with me a book called 'The way of the righteous in the muck of life' by Dale Ralph Davis, and Psalm 11 is one of the psalms he looks at. Now at first reading Psalm 11 seems like a funny place to get comfort. In fact, on re-reading it this morning, I thought 'do I really want to write about this?' It is one of those Old Testament passages that makes me uncomfortable; it is certainly not a comfortable or safe picture of God.
 But it is worth a closer look.

As the foundations crumble around David and his friends suggest running away, he replies simply 'in the Lord I have taken refuge.' He does not panic or despair because God is 'on his heavenly throne.' In other words, God hasn't changed or gone anywhere. God knows exactly what is going on. And he will bring justice. In the psalm this is both comforting and terrifying. The description of what is coming to the 'wicked' uses some strong imagery. I often think that I am so uncomfortable with these descriptions because I do live in a relatively stable and safe place. Perhaps if I was in a North Korean labour camp or a country where my family could be dragged out of the house and killed just for being a Christian I would respond differently. If I read the news it doesn't take me long to start longing for justice.

You know what else? Our God is this God who will bring justice and judgement. He is also the shepherd who hunts for the one lost sheep and carries it home in Matthew's Gospel. He is the Father who stands at the door waiting for his child to return home in Luke 14. And he is the God who describes himself to Moses as slow to anger and rich in abounding love.

This psalm did bring comfort and peace, even relief, to me as I sat by Alice's bed in the hospital. Because it showed me that I could continue to trust in God even when all around is chaos. He is still the same God, he is still loving and just and 'slow to anger and rich in love.' He is still in charge. And one day we will see his face. Take your sunglasses.

Psalm 11

For the director of music. Of David.

¹ In the Lord I take refuge.
    How then can you say to me:
    ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain.
² For look, the wicked bend their bows;
    they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
    at the upright in heart.
³ When the foundations are being destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?’

⁴ The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth;
    his eyes examine them.
⁵ The Lord examines the righteous,
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion. 

⁶ On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulphur;
    a scorching wind will be their lot.

  ⁷ For the Lord is righteous,
    he loves justice;
    the upright will see his face.

Psalm 145:8
 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
    slow to anger and rich in love.