Articles . Volume 07 | Issue 06 . Warren Wiersbe

Psalms 11-12

Want to Run Away?
Psalm 11

Have you ever felt like running away? Then Psalm 11 is what you need. “In the Lord I put my trust; how can you say to my soul,’Flee as a bird to your mountain’?” (v. 1). When you feel like flying away and leaving it all, this is the psalm to read. All of us have days when we feel like quitting. Every single one of us has those days, maybe those weeks, when we throw up our hands and say, “That’s it. I’ve had it. I’m through. I’m getting out of here.”

Quite frankly, at times we do need to get away to rest and to regain our perspective. Our Lord Jesus said to HIs disciples, “Let’s just depart and rest awhile.” Vance Havner has said, “If you don’t come apart and rest, you’ll just come apart.” But the psalmist was not talking about a vacation in Psalm 11. “The wicked bend their bow” (v. 2). He was saying, “The wicked are doing this. The wicked are doing that. Let’s get out of here and go off to some mountaintop and have a good Bible conference.” Sounds like Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration, doesn’t it? “Lord, let’s build three tabernacles and stay up here.” Then the Father spoke from heaven and said, “Peter, you don’t give the orders. This is My beloved Son. Hear Him.”

When you feel like running or flying away, just remember, God’s throne is secure. The Lord is in His holy temple. In a difficult time Isaiah looked up and saw the Lord on His throne, high and lifted up. John saw the Lord on HIs throne in the Book of Revelation. It gave him new courage.

Don’t flee to a mountain. Flee to the throne room, to the throne of grace. When you feel like quitting and giving up and running away, remember that you can’t run away from your troubles and you can’t run away from yourself. The solution is not running away. It’s running to. It’s running to the throne of grace and finding grace to help in time of need.

Have you ever run from a difficult situation? Did it solve anything? How will you react differently next time you face a problem?


The Elijah Complex
Psalm 12

Whenever you get the idea that you are the only one left who is godly, beware. That’s how David was praying in Psalm 12. He said, “The godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men” (v. 1). I call this “the Elijah complex.” You will remember that Elijah had this problem (1 Kings 19). He left and sat down, pouting. God asked, “What are you doing here?” He said, “I’m the only godly one left, and they are trying to kill me.” God said, “Do you know what? I’ve got 7000 people waiting in line. I can pick any one of them to get My work done.”

When you begin to think you’re the only godly person, it quickly leads to pride, doesn’t it? In fact, David was talking here about the sin of flattery (Ps. 12:2). We are living in a world that’s filled with flattery. Sometimes it’s called advertising or promotion, but it’s flattery. God doesn’t flatter people. He tells the truth. Flattery is manipulation, not communication. It comes from a double heart, from mixed motives. David said, “Unite my heart to fear Your name” (86:11). Don’t fall for flattery, and don’t flatter yourself into thinking you are the only godly one left.

Psalm 12. 6 tells us where to turn: “The words of the Lord are pure.” They are purified, and God is going to fulfill His Word. If you listen to your own words, it may lead to discouragement or pride. If you listen to the words of others, they may be words of flattery, lying or vanity. Listen to the Word of God. Test everything you hear by the Word of God.

The godly person has not completely vanished from the earth. You’d be surprised where God has His godly people, waiting to accomplish His will. Please don’t think that you’re the only one left, because others are waiting to stand with you and help you. Lay hold of God’s Word. It has been tested and proved. You can trust it.

Are you ready to quit because you think others aren’t as committed or as dedicated to the task as you are? What is wrong with those thoughts?

© Warren Wiersbe