Psalms 11-12

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Lord is a Refuge; The Pure Words of the Lord

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. When the temptation to run arises, the faithful turn to the sovereign Lord.

  2. When the words of this world fail, the faithful turn to the enduring Word.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Remember, the Lord reigns and rains.

  2. Think of the Bible as pure silver!

QUESTIONS

  1. What was the occasion when Psalm 11 was being written?

  2. Discuss Psalm 11:3. How is this verse commonly used? What is its interpretation in context?

  3. What verse in Psalm 11 is the basis for David’s hopeful perspective?

  4. How does the story of Elijah relate to Psalm 12?

  5. Review the three characteristics of worldly words.

ANSWERS

  1. This was probably some time when King Saul attempted to kill David, and David’s friends urged him to flee for his life.

  2. Some people use this verse to say that when the moral fabric of society is gone the righteous might as well give up, because there’s nothing anyone can do to save or remedy the situation. In context, the point is not that the situation is hopeless. This is actually part of the wrong counsel of David’s faint-hearted friends.

  3. Verse 4: The Lord is still on His throne and in His holy temple. He sees and knows all. In fact, everything is under His close scrutiny.

  4. Elijah, like David, felt like he was the only faithful one left in Israel. The Lord had to rebuke Elijah and tell him that there were 7,000 other believers that had not bowed their knees to Baal (1 Kings 19).

  5. The words of this world are characterized by falsehood, flattery, and freedom (from restraint).

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. In Psalm 11, David comes to a different conclusion than his friends who were prophesying doom. When the foundations of society are crumbling, David turns to the Lord! Think of a situation you have encountered that may have seemed hopeless, until you viewed it from the Lord’s perspective.

  2. Discuss how the media is often an example of worldly words characterized by falsehood, flattery, and freedom from restraint. How can the pure words of the Lord build us up in these times?

CHALLENGE

  1. The Bible is free from any impurity. No lies. No flattery. No deceit. No error. Praise God for His Word to us!

KEY VERSES

  • "The LORD is in His holy temple, The LORD's throne is in heaven." Psalms 11:4

  • "The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Psalms 12:6

Psalms, Old Testament, TalksDeb HarmsPsalms 11-12