1. Psalm 11 : 1-7 (NKJV) 1 In the L ORD I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”? 2 For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart. 3 If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?

2. Psalm 11 : 1-7 (NKJV) 4 The L ORD is in His holy temple, The L ORD ’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. 5 The L ORD tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.

3. Psalm 11 : 1-7 (NKJV) 6 Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind Shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the L ORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.

4. IS THERE ANY HOPE? Psalm 11:1-7

5. Is There Any Hope?  Have you ever been discouraged in your life?  I believe most, if not all of us have faced this at one point or another in our lives  It could be a general discouragement over the direction of society in today’s world

6. Is There Any Hope?  Perhaps it’s a personal discouragement over something that has happened to you or a threat made against you  We become frightened, discouraged and saddened as a result  All of a sudden our view on life becomes dark and bleak

7. Is There Any Hope?  If you have felt that way, then you are not alone  Elijah became discouraged when his life was threatened (I Ki. 19)  Peter became discouraged when Jesus died upon the cross and was no longer with him (Jn. 21)

8. Is There Any Hope?  David, as chosen king, was often a target in his life (ex. Saul, Absalom, etc.)  David was certainly no stranger to things that discourage (v. 1-3)  So why did David trust and rely on God when wicked, evil people tried to overpower him?

9. Is There Any Hope?  1. Because God rules from heaven (v. 4)  David could have hope and assurance based upon the fact that God rules from heaven  This indicates that God knows all, that He sees all, and that He is in control!  Psalm 2 – God is watching over the affairs of man

10. Is There Any Hope?  1. Because God rules from heaven (v. 4)  “Thus says the Lord; ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool…’” (Is. 66:1)  We know that we can approach that throne for help (Heb. 4:16; I Pet. 5:7)  David understood that he served a God that ruled from heaven and truly cared for him

11. Is There Any Hope?  2. Because God sees and examines mankind (v. 4)  It’s not just the fact that God rules from heaven  It’s the fact that “His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men”  God sees and knows what is going on around us, especially with His people

12. Is There Any Hope?  2. Because God sees and examines mankind (v. 4)  God saw the plight of the Israelites and heard their cries long ago (Ex. 1:20; 2:23- 25)  God continues to see and hear us today as well (Prov. 15:3; Jer. 23:24; Heb. 4:13)

13. Is There Any Hope?  2. Because God sees and examines mankind (v. 4)  This is why David was able to trust in His God, even when things seemed dark  You and I need not worry about what man will do to us, but rather put our trust in the God who sees all (Ps. 56:3-4, 11)

14. Is There Any Hope?  3. Because God hates the wicked and punishes their evil (vs. 5-6)  There may be some who think that God does not care about what men do  Asaph almost stumbled because he thought the wicked man prospered and actually faired better than the righteous (Ps. 73)

15. Is There Any Hope?  3. Because God hates the wicked and punishes their evil (vs. 5-6)  Just because God does not strike the wicked dead here and now does not mean that there is no punishment for them  God will certainly deal with the wicked (II Thess. 1:8-9; Rev. 21:8)

16. Is There Any Hope?  4. Because God is righteous and loves righteousness (v. 7)  There is no need for us to fear and be discouraged because we serve a God that is on our side  He is not like man, who is perhaps undependable or not trustworthy to do the right thing

17. Is There Any Hope?  4. Because God is righteous and loves righteousness (v. 7)  “For the Lord is righteous” meaning that God Himself defines righteousness  There is no question as to what God will do or who He will side with  We can depend on Him because He is righteous

18. Is There Any Hope?  4. Because God is righteous and loves righteousness (v. 7)  Because God is righteous it tells us that He loves righteousness and those who seek to live righteous lives  As we seek to live for Him and carry out His will, we can be assured that He is for us (Rom. 8:31)

19. Is There Any Hope?  5. Because God looks on the upright with favor and affection (v. 7)  Because God is righteous He loves righteousness, along with those who practice such  God, therefore, also looks upon those who are upright with both favor and affection

20. Is There Any Hope?  5. Because God looks on the upright with favor and affection (v. 7)  This is the opposite of the message given by man in verse 1  David’s message concerning God was that He is one who looks down upon the upright with favor, as a protector for them