“In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?’ ” (v1-3)
I can’t get over how applicable this still is in our culture today. We, as God-honoring Christians (the “upright in heart”) are constantly under attack from those who walk/hide in darkness (spiritually, not necessarily literally). The closer we draw to God our father, the more intense the attacks become.
The warning David issues is the clincher – “when the foundations are being destroyed, the righteous are becoming powerless” (v3 par). What does he mean by foundations? There are at least three definitions for foundation:
1. the lowest load-bearing part of a building
2. an underlying basis or principle
3. the action of establishing an institution or organization on a permanent basis
I don’t believe David is talking about a building in this context, but the other two definitions have merit – if the underlying basis/principle of the righteous is God’s word/covenant, and the established organization of the righteous is the church, and either is “destroyed” (rendered powerless), the enemy will have great victories in this spiritual war.
We know that Satan is a defeated enemy and he has already lost the big picture war, however, that has not deterred him from trying to win some of the smaller battles and take some people with him into that impending eternal banishment.
My takeaway and prayer today is that we need to keep fighting the good fight, completing the race without quitting, and firmly place our hope in the Lord who renews our strength keeps us from growing weary (2 Tim 4:7, Isa 40:31 par). Do not knowingly allow your foundations to be destroyed, though take heart – if you or a brother/sister are in need of a fundamental repair after an attack from the enemy, rest well knowing that your loving Father and your brothers/sisters are here to support you on that journey of recovery.
~ Conqueror in Training