(Note: The graphics were generated using AI.)

There is a line from the movie Forrest Gump that became far more famous than anyone probably expected: “Run, Forrest! Run!”

Even people who haven’t seen the movie may recognize it. Young Forrest, wearing heavy metal leg braces for his curved spine, is being chased by a group of bullies when his friend Jenny yells for him to run. And he does. He runs as fast as he can to escape the danger behind him.

I thought of that scene when I read the opening of Psalm 11. David is facing danger, and the advice he receives is essentially: Run, David! Run!

“Flee like a bird to your mountain.”
(Psalm 11:1)

The warning isn’t completely unreasonable. David’s enemies are preparing their weapons. The situation looks dangerous, and the foundations themselves seem to be crumbling.

“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
(Psalm 11:3)

If I had been standing beside David, I might have been among those telling him to run. That is because my own instinct is always to flee—though not necessarily with my feet, but in my mind. When I run mentally, I tend to imagine the worst-case scenario, and I start looking for an escape route. I try to anticipate and fix problems before they happen. I want to get somewhere that feels safer.

But David’s response is striking:

“In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain’?”
(Psalm 11:1)

David isn’t pretending the danger isn’t real. He knows where his safety really is. Then comes the verse that changes everything:

“The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven.”
(Psalm 11:4)

Everyone around David is looking at the foundation, but David looks at the throne. That’s the part I need to remember. When the foundations seem to be shaking, my eyes naturally go downward—to the circumstances, the problems, the uncertainty, the things I cannot control.

Psalm 11 tells me to look up. The foundations may shake, but the throne doesn’t. God hasn’t moved. God hasn’t panicked. God hasn’t lost control. And God isn’t looking for an escape route.

Psalm 9 reminded me to look back and remember my history with God. Psalm 10 reminded me to trust who God is when I cannot see what He is doing. And Psalm 11 tells me to look up when everything around me seems unstable.

Sometimes running really is the wise thing to do. But sometimes the voice shouting Run! is simply fear. And in those moments, I want to remember David’s response:

“In the LORD I take refuge.”

I don’t have to run from everything that frightens me. Sometimes I only need to remember where my refuge is.

Prayer

Lord, when circumstances frighten me and everything inside me wants to run, remind me where my refuge is. When the foundations seem to shake, lift my eyes from what is happening around me to the One who reigns above me. You are still on Your throne. Help me trust You enough to stay when fear tells me to run. Amen.