If The Foundations be Destroyed…?

"If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?" - Psalm 11:3

This verse from Psalm 11 confronts us with a sobering reality: when the moral, spiritual, or societal foundations of a community begin to crumble, the righteous may feel powerless, disoriented, or even abandoned. 

David, the psalmist, is not merely lamenting the decay of institutions or traditions—he is pointing to the deeper erosion of truth, justice, and faith.

Psalm 11:3 is a spiritual alarm. When David asks, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” he's not just talking about physical structures or political systems. He's pointing to the collapse of the moral and spiritual bedrock that holds society together: truth, justice, and faith.

Let’s break that down:

• Truth: When lies replace honesty, and deception becomes normalized, the righteous are left navigating a fog of confusion. Without truth, trust erodes — in institutions, in relationships, even in oneself.
• Justice: When justice is no longer blind but biased, when the vulnerable are ignored and the powerful protected, the righteous feel the weight of injustice pressing down. Justice is the framework that ensures fairness and dignity — its destruction leads to chaos.
• Faith: When faith in God is mocked or marginalized, and spiritual convictions are treated as outdated or irrelevant, the righteous may feel isolated. Faith is the compass that guides through uncertainty; without it, even the righteous can lose direction.

David’s question is rhetorical, but it’s also a call to action. The righteous are not meant to despair — they’re meant to dig deeper. To anchor themselves in the eternal foundation that cannot be destroyed: God’s throne in heaven. Luther’s stand at Worms — “Here I stand, I can do no other” — was a Psalm 11 moment.

On this 508th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, it is important to remember that the Reformation erupted as a response to what many saw as the crumbling foundations of the Church. Corruption, indulgences, and theological distortions had eroded the moral and spiritual integrity of the institution that was meant to uphold truth and righteousness.

At that moment, Luther was confronting a Church whose spiritual foundations had been compromised. The authority of Scripture had been overshadowed by tradition, salvation distorted by indulgences, and truth buried under layers of institutional control.

Yet Luther, a solitary monk before the might of empire and ecclesiastical power, did not despair. He stood. His famous words — “Here I stand, I can do no other. God help me.” — echoes a striking Psalm 11:3 moment. It's a Psalm 11 response and a poignant reminder that when the foundations are destroyed, the righteous do not flee. They dig deeper into God’s truth and stand firm.

In the context of Psalm 11:3, “the righteous” refers to those who are committed to living in alignment with God's will — people who uphold truth, justice, and faith even when the world around them seems to be falling apart.  They are not meant to despair — they’re meant to dig deeper into the eternal foundation that cannot be shaken. 

Here’s what that looks like:

• Dig deeper into truth: When lies dominate the culture, the righteous cling to God’s Word — the ultimate source of truth. They become voices of clarity in a world of confusion.
• Dig deeper into justice: When justice falters, the righteous live justly. They advocate for the vulnerable, act with integrity, and reflect God’s justice in their daily lives.
• Dig deeper into faith: When faith is mocked or marginalized, the righteous press in. They pray more fervently, worship more boldly, and trust more deeply — not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary.
• Dig deeper into hope: Despair is a shallow pit. Hope is a deep well. The righteous draw from the promises of God, knowing that He sees, He knows, and He reigns.

This isn’t passive endurance — it’s active resilience. The righteous don’t just survive the shaking; they become anchors for others. They remind the world that even when everything else crumbles, God remains.

 

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Pastor Godwin, FBC Danvers