In these chaotic times of cultural decay and spiritual apostasy, many believers ask the age-old question, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
A foundation is the most important part of a building. Jesus taught the parable of the foolish man that built his house upon the sand. When the winds and rain came, it collapsed. A building can only stand if the foundations are strong enough to hold it up.
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the world’s tallest building at 2,716 feet. It uses a 3.7-meter thick raft foundation and 192 piles that are five feet across buried 164 feet deep. One hundred ten thousand tons of concrete were used in the foundation alone.
Why such effort? Because if the foundation buckles, the building will be destroyed with everything in it.
In July 2021, the Surfside building partially collapsed near Miami, FL. As of this writing, 24 people are confirmed dead, with 124 still unaccounted for by officials. It is devasting when a building fails!
Consider our text verse.
Psalm 11:3
3 If the foundations be destroyed,
What can the righteous do?
The word “destroyed” in this verse literally means to beat down, destroy, overthrow, pluck down, or ruin. There is an intention to destroy the foundations in this verse.
In fact, the previous verse explicitly calls out the enemies seeking to destroy the righteous.
Psalm 11:2
“For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string, That they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.”
David was inspired by God to write Psalm 11 during the first few times Saul tried to kill him while serving in the king. Saul was David’s king, general, and father-in-law had turned on him seeking to take his life. The foundation of David’s citizenship, occupation, family, and safety were crumbling, yet David chose to trust the LORD rather than flee.
Psalm 11:1
“In the Lord put I my trust: How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?”
If the foundations be destroyed?
Who would be foolish enough to bulldoze the Pillars of the building in which we are living?
Who would be crazy enough to bomb the Bottom of the ship in which we are all sailing?
Who would be suicidal enough to rip off The Wings of the Airplane in which we are all riding?
“If” has become now.
There is an organized effort to destroy the foundations upon which our civilization rests. The wicked, under the direction of Satan, attack the foundations of the righteous. This battle has raged since Lucifer was lifted up with pride against the Almighty.
Satan attacked the foundational belief in God’s Word in the Garden of Eden. Israel’s foundation of worship in the One True God buckled, and with it, the powerful nation crumbled.
We have been relatively safe from the woes of the world in recent generations in America. But now, the battle is at our door. The enemy is making gains at warp speed. Who would have thought our nation’s citizens would accept the corruption, sin, and tyranny of recent years?
Five foundations are being destroyed intentionally in our lives today.
1. National Foundations Under Attack
Language
People are united by language. That’s one reason why legal immigrants to America must learn to speak English. God divided the wicked at the tower of Babel through a language barrier. Furthermore, satan changes definitions of words to cause division. Consider how the meanings of words such as gay, justice, equality, racism, etc., have been altered to hijack the national conversation.
Songs
Throughout history, songs have been written about significant people and to commemorate remarkable events. The National Anthem has brought Americans together for generations. Today, it is a matter of contention for those who are breaking our national foundations.
History
America has been uniquely blessed by God. This fact is evident through a basic understanding of US history. Ungodly people revise history to hide the beauty of our nation, prove its guilt, and recruit others to destroy the foundations.
Laws
America’s laws were based on a Judeo-Christian view of the world and The Holy Bible for much of the history of our country. Progressive politicians seek to “fundamentally transform” our nation through ungodly laws.
Politics
According to Dictionary.com, Politics “are the activities associated with the governance of a country or other areas, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.” Every family, tribe, or nation must have rules to decide differences and delegate power. America’s Constitutional Republic form of government has been under attack for years by those espousing detrimental philosophies such as socialism and communism.
2. Cultural Foundations Under Attack
Values
Since America was erected on a Judeo-Christian foundation, her cultural values were anchored in Biblical ideas of morality and spirituality. Although cultural drift from God has been evident since our nation’s founding, it has accelerated exponentially in recent years. The wicked constantly attack biblical values.
Music
Every culture is defined by its music. Popular music in America has become worship hymns to hedonism for heathens. Most music promotes concepts of self-worship, sinful indulgence, and violent aggression. Sex, drugs, and rock n roll were not just the anthem of the eighties. It has become a way of life for a nation.
Entertainment
Heathens have hijacked American entertainment. The intentional poisoning of our nation is evident when you study the history of amusement through television, radio, and celebrity culture.
Monuments / Artifacts
Monuments remind a nation of its history. They remind citizens to learn from the good and bad of history. Artifacts, such as the Constitution, are an anchor for society. No wonder enemies who attempt to destroy our cultural foundations attack monuments and artifacts.
3. Social Foundations Under Attack
Family
The family is the building block of every society. The historical idea of a family consisting of one husband, one wife, and children is under attack more than ever. Widespread divorce, same-sex marriage, and children born out of wedlock wreak havoc on the family, thereby causing the foundations of our nation to crumble.
Gender
God made two genders. In the beginning, he created a man and a woman. If truth deniers can get you to surrender this fundamental truth, there is no end to their tyranny.
Sexuality
Nature itself teaches us that God made men and women to fulfill sensual desires for one another. The Bible goes further, stating that these pleasures should only be enjoyed in the covenant of marriage. Sodomy, homosexuality, cross-dressing, lesbianism, gay, bisexuality, pedophilia, beastiality, bisexuality, and pansexuality are sinful departures from God’s original intent. It is an attack on the person, the family, and the culture at large.
4. Personal Foundations Under Attack
Who am I?
The Bible teaches that you are a special creation of God created for a meaningful purpose. Other worldviews attack that foundational belief contending that you are a cosmic accident with a meaningless existence.
Why am I here?
The Bible teaches you are here to fulfill God’s will for His glory, bringing Him pleasure through fellowship and obedience. Those who reject God replace Hom with all manner of foolish philosophies. When these attacks on this bedrock belief are followed to their logical conclusion, they lead to hedonism, existentialism, determinism, and/or nihilism.
What is my place in the world?
God teaches us to find meaning in Him through acceptance of His truth and belief in the Saviour. The enemies of God teach that you can only find meaning in yourself and must make others see your version of the truth.
Personal Liberty
God teaches us that we can be made free from sin to live righteously. Satan attacks this foundation by teaching that liberty is a license to sin without consequence.
5. Spiritual Foundations Under Attack
The Person of God
Unbelievers attack the Person of God as revealed in His Word, transforming Him into a false god of their own creation.
The Word of God
The wicked spread the lie that the inspired, preserved, inerrant, and indestructible Word of God is simply a book of fairytales written by men.
The House of God
The local church, the pillar and ground of truth, made up of saved, baptized believers, has been turned into a social club of pride and lasciviousness by the unprincipled who are knowingly or unknowingly lead by the evil one.
The People of God
The holy people of God have been corrupted by the sins of the people they were meant to reach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In their pride, they reject passionate preaching of the Word, preferring teachers who will tickle their ears and rubber-stamp their carnal desires.
Those statements paint a pretty dire picture! What Can The Righteous Do when the foundations are being destroyed?
There is only one thing for us to do when the foundations we rest upon are crumbling. WE MUST TRUST THE LORD!
Thanks be to God, there is a part of our foundation that can never be moved!
Christ is the Chief Cornerstone of our spiritual foundation.
Ephesians 2:19–22
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Christ is the King of a Kingdom that can never be shaken or moved. Through salvation by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ, believers are part of this eternal Kingdom.
Hebrews 12:27–29
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
What Can The Righteous Do when the foundations are being destroyed?
Psalm chapter eleven not only asks this all-important question but also gives us the answer.
Psalm 11:1 professed David’s trust in the LORD.
Psalm 11:1
“In the Lord put I my trust: How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?”
After the pointed question in Psalm 11:3, the rest of the chapter reminds us of Who the LORD is in truth. These verses remind us to trust in the LORD when the foundations are destroyed.
Let’s study Psalm 11:4-7 to learn six ways we can trust the LORD when the foundations are being destroyed.
1. Trust the LORD’s POSITION.
Psalm 11:4
The Lord is in his holy temple,
The Lord’s throne is in heaven:
His eyes behold,
His eyelids try, the children of men.
The LORD abides in Heaven far above the sinful mess we call Earth. His position is not in question. There is no challenge to His office. There is no threat to His reign. He is the Judge of the Universe!
2. Trust the LORD’s AUTHORITY.
Psalm 11:4
The Lord is in his holy temple,
The Lord’s throne is in heaven:
His eyes behold,
His eyelids try, the children of men.
God Almighty is in total control. He is safely upon His throne. Even when surrounded by chaos and disorder, we can receive comfort knowing that Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords. One day every knee will bow. What a glorious day that will be!
3. Trust the LORD’s VISION.
Psalm 11:4
The Lord is in his holy temple,
The Lord’s throne is in heaven:
His eyes behold,
His eyelids try, the children of men.
The LORD sees all. No sin escapes His judgment, and no righteous act will miss its reward. All things are naked unto our great God Who sees all.
4. Trust the LORD’s GOODNESS.
Psalm 11:5
The Lord trieth the righteous:
But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
The LORD tests the righteous for their own good. As gold is refined by fire, so testing removes the dross of our lives to make us more like the Master. Those who delight in hurting others are detested by our righteous and loving LORD.
5. Trust the LORD’s JUDGMENT.
Psalm 11:6
Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone,
And an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
The wicked are dealt with very differently than the righteous. If they reject the love of God found in the Gospel of Christ, they reject grace and reserve themselves for severe judgment. Eternal torment in hell is the end of those who reject Jesus Christ.
6. Trust the LORD’s LOVE.
Psalm 11:7
For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness;
His countenance doth behold the upright.
The LORD loves righteousness and hates iniquity because He is righteous. He is good and merciful. He always does what is best. The songwriter reminds us that when you can’t trace His hand, you can trust His heart.
God loves you. When you accept the person of Jesus Christ and receive Him as your personal Saviour trusting His death, burial, and resurrection to save your soul, you become a child of God. He will care for you as a loving Heavenly Father.
CONCLUSION
When the foundations are destroyed, the righteous must continue to trust the LORD.
God can make a way when there is no way. Christ can win the war when it seems all is lost. The LORD can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat!
Although the heathen rage against the LORD and against His Christ, we know the final score. By God’s grace, we can have a peace that passes all understanding and sleep comfortably in the ship as the storms rage and others fear.
Psalm chapter eleven reminds us of six reasons to trust the LORD.
Trust the LORD’s:
- Position
- Authority
- Vision
- Goodness
- Judgment
- Love
In truth, the simplest answer for every question is “Trust the LORD.”