Psalm 11: Crazy Prayer

Key Verse
7 For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.
 
Meditation
An eternal perspective empowers believers to be real with the Lord in prayer and become like Him in our character.

Today’s psalm does not sanitize emotions: “Rain coals on the wicked!” (v. 6). Imagery echoing the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19) is evidence of a heart embedded in eternal realities, taking our longing for justice to God in prayer and trusting His eternal nature and purpose. Three specifics help us see how to embrace this opportunity, too: 

                                         1. Take refuge in the Lord (vv. 1-3).
Faith runs to God in times of fear or frustration. Refuge means finding total security in His eternal plan, not in our circumstances. God’s eternal realities steady present instability.

                                  2. Trust the sovereign rule of the Lord (vv. 4-5).
“The Lord’s throne is in heaven.” He reigns infinitely above history and sees intimately within it. His eternal throne governs today’s headlines. Nothing escapes His sight, including you.

                             3. Walk in His righteousness, longing to see His face (v. 7).
“The upright shall behold His face.” This is the great covenant promise of God. The end of the story is not simply justice; it is vision. Revelation 22:4 declares of the saints, “They will see His face.” The hope of seeing God shapes how we live now. The surety of the beatific vision fuels present trust in God and His word.

When God’s eternal realities frame our faith, our prayers change, and our worship elevates His righteousness as it compels us to live righteously, knowing He is with us today  , and one day we will see His face. 
 
Today’s Reading
In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain, 2 for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; 3 if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
 
4 The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. 5 The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

6 Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Are you surprised at the rawness of the Psalmist’s prayer?
 
-How would you gauge the level of authenticity in your prayer life? Where do the eternal truths framing His prayer need to explode how you engage the world?
 
-Be honest with God in prayer, not in sinful rage but in surrendered anguish. Let this be seasoned with acknowledgement that God reigns above everything, and He is working all things for His purposes… that you will behold His face. Better than the promise that He is with you now is the reality that you will soon see His face.

Key Verse
7 For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.