Psalm 11:4-6 - February 4, 2009

Ps 11:4-6 “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them. The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates. 6 On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. " NIV

This psalm introduces two significant themes: the abiding presence of the Lord with his people and his eternal dominion over all things in heaven and on earth. It is both a reflection of his identity as Immanuel, God with us, and the truth of God’s eternal sovereignty as reflected in
Col 1:15-17 which states of Christ, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Our God has the right to rule because all things are a mere reflection of his creative power but his infinite reality by far transcends all that he has created.
The very nature of the temple was to be a dwelling place for God, a house for his abiding presence. What a wonderful truth in the context of the words of Paul’s statement in
1 Cor 3:16 “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?” Through the work of Christ on the cross mankind is now the dwelling place for the Spirit of God. The living God inhabiting his people to direct, comfort and counsel us.
Every man who has offered his life to God and received eternal life has in this same act invited the living God to abide with and in him. John 14:20 “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” However, this psalm continues on from the place of God’s presence to establishing the Lord’s right to rule. His throne is eternal in the heavens as the Lord over all and it is from this vantage point that the Lord observes the sons of man, examining them with his eyes. The Lord sits enthroned as king over all that he has created, examining the hearts of man. For those who welcome his Lordship, his abiding presence empowers us to live a life that meets the requirements of his judgment through the mercy of Christ. This is the eternal vindication of the lovers of God and the eternal consequence of the wicked. It is with perfect justice, perfect wisdom and perfect mercy that God sits as judge over the nations and the heart of every man.