I. Look at true foundations. (1) God is God, before all things pre-ordaining, revolving within Himself and all things else, as He pleases, the great foundation given to Moses in the bush "I am!" (2) This good God has given us a revelation. We can prove it by every evidence: the external evidence prophecy; the internal evidence the harmony; the experimental evidence what it has been to many, and what it is to me. (3) In the revelation there is shown a way the only way by which a just God can forgive a sinner. He has found and accepted a Substitute, Who outweighs the whole world His own Son. (4) To communicate this thought and to give this faith, there is a Holy Ghost, Himself also God; and He being spirit, works in the spirit of a man, and creates in his heart trust and love towards Jesus Christ. (5) As soon as by that Spirit a man really trusts, as a sinner, in Christ, he is united to Christ. God sees him in Christ, and in Christ God sees him righteous. (6) By the same union, and through the operation of the Holy Ghost, that man, now a living member in Christ, has a motive sufficient to change his whole life and to make him do all good works. God, inspiration, Christ, the Holy Ghost, faith, good works these are the foundations.
II. Be always looking to foundations and resting in foundations. Sometimes a child of God thinks he has lost his foundations. (1) If he thinks so, he should see whether any part of his foundation is impaired, or loose, or out of order. (2) If he finds out the fault, he should try to repair it; but if not, then let him throw himself back at once on the all foundation that God is God. There is nothing in the world so sure as a believer's foundation. As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more, but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
In the eleventh Psalm we have a description of a faithful heart in time of trial declaring itself resolved to trust on God alone, when some would advise it to fly or to draw back.
I. If our lot is cast in times and places when and where the truth as such is slighted and set aside, it is easy to see that, so far as such opinions prevail, the foundations are destroyed. When men use the sacred Scriptures familiarly and irreverently, forgetful of their Author, and endeavouring to subject them to the puny rules of human reason, then surely in their hearts the foundations of true faith are loosened, if not destroyed.
"They grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness."
II. The great danger which besets us is the danger of mistaking or slighting the great Christian doctrine of Divine grace. Whatever concerns the foundations of belief or practice concerns all Christian people as Christians. This consideration should make people cautious of two things: first, not to pass over religious questions in a careless, slighting way, as if it were no matter of interest to them; and secondly, not to enter on arguments and disputes about such matters in a hasty, disrespectful manner, without considering either the solemn nature of the subjects they are discussing, or their own very great ignorance. Remembering these two cautions, we may and ought to consider it a duty, so far as we can, to ascertain where the truth lies in the great questions which from time to time agitate the Christian world. And one object in making such inquiries should not be a vain curiosity and the fondness for the worst of all gossip religious gossip but simply the desire to know and to follow sacred truth, to the glory of God and the benefit of our own souls.
Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times," vol. x., p. 163.
References: Psalms 11:5 . G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 395; Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 249. Psalms 12:1 . Ibid., Morning by Morning, p. 169; W. M. Statham, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xx., p. 196; J. Martineau, Hours of Thought, vol. i., p. 243.Psalms 12:6 . J. Aldis, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xi., p. 120. Psalms 12:0 I. Williams, The Psalms Interpreted of Christ, p. 245.Psalms 13:1 . H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit, vol. ii., p. 202.Psalms 13:0 I. Williams, The Psalms Interpreted of Christ, p. 253.Psalms 14:1 . G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 35; J. H. Hitchens, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxvi., p. 424.Psalms 14:0 I. Williams, The Psalms Interpreted of Christ, p. 261.Psalms 15:1 . E. C. Wickham, Wellington College Sermons, p. 116. Psalms 15:1-3 . M. Dix, Sermons Doctrinal and Practical, p. 182.
Bibliographical Information Nicoll, William R. "Commentary on Psalms 11". "Sermon Bible Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/sbc/psalms-11.html.
Verse 3
Psalms 11:3
I. Look at true foundations. (1) God is God, before all things pre-ordaining, revolving within Himself and all things else, as He pleases, the great foundation given to Moses in the bush "I am!" (2) This good God has given us a revelation. We can prove it by every evidence: the external evidence prophecy; the internal evidence the harmony; the experimental evidence what it has been to many, and what it is to me. (3) In the revelation there is shown a way the only way by which a just God can forgive a sinner. He has found and accepted a Substitute, Who outweighs the whole world His own Son. (4) To communicate this thought and to give this faith, there is a Holy Ghost, Himself also God; and He being spirit, works in the spirit of a man, and creates in his heart trust and love towards Jesus Christ. (5) As soon as by that Spirit a man really trusts, as a sinner, in Christ, he is united to Christ. God sees him in Christ, and in Christ God sees him righteous. (6) By the same union, and through the operation of the Holy Ghost, that man, now a living member in Christ, has a motive sufficient to change his whole life and to make him do all good works. God, inspiration, Christ, the Holy Ghost, faith, good works these are the foundations.
II. Be always looking to foundations and resting in foundations. Sometimes a child of God thinks he has lost his foundations. (1) If he thinks so, he should see whether any part of his foundation is impaired, or loose, or out of order. (2) If he finds out the fault, he should try to repair it; but if not, then let him throw himself back at once on the all foundation that God is God. There is nothing in the world so sure as a believer's foundation. As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more, but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
J. Vaughan, Sermons, 10th series, p. 109.
Reference: Psalms 11:3 . Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xii., No. 691.
Verses 3-4
Psalms 11:3-4
In the eleventh Psalm we have a description of a faithful heart in time of trial declaring itself resolved to trust on God alone, when some would advise it to fly or to draw back.
I. If our lot is cast in times and places when and where the truth as such is slighted and set aside, it is easy to see that, so far as such opinions prevail, the foundations are destroyed. When men use the sacred Scriptures familiarly and irreverently, forgetful of their Author, and endeavouring to subject them to the puny rules of human reason, then surely in their hearts the foundations of true faith are loosened, if not destroyed.
"They grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness."
II. The great danger which besets us is the danger of mistaking or slighting the great Christian doctrine of Divine grace. Whatever concerns the foundations of belief or practice concerns all Christian people as Christians. This consideration should make people cautious of two things: first, not to pass over religious questions in a careless, slighting way, as if it were no matter of interest to them; and secondly, not to enter on arguments and disputes about such matters in a hasty, disrespectful manner, without considering either the solemn nature of the subjects they are discussing, or their own very great ignorance. Remembering these two cautions, we may and ought to consider it a duty, so far as we can, to ascertain where the truth lies in the great questions which from time to time agitate the Christian world. And one object in making such inquiries should not be a vain curiosity and the fondness for the worst of all gossip religious gossip but simply the desire to know and to follow sacred truth, to the glory of God and the benefit of our own souls.
Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times," vol. x., p. 163.
References: Psalms 11:5 . G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 395; Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 249. Psalms 12:1 . Ibid., Morning by Morning, p. 169; W. M. Statham, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xx., p. 196; J. Martineau, Hours of Thought, vol. i., p. 243.Psalms 12:6 . J. Aldis, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xi., p. 120. Psalms 12:0 I. Williams, The Psalms Interpreted of Christ, p. 245.Psalms 13:1 . H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit, vol. ii., p. 202.Psalms 13:0 I. Williams, The Psalms Interpreted of Christ, p. 253.Psalms 14:1 . G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 35; J. H. Hitchens, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxvi., p. 424.Psalms 14:0 I. Williams, The Psalms Interpreted of Christ, p. 261.Psalms 15:1 . E. C. Wickham, Wellington College Sermons, p. 116. Psalms 15:1-3 . M. Dix, Sermons Doctrinal and Practical, p. 182.