Thought for the day – Psalm 10

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Psalm 10

1 Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. 3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. 4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. 5 His ways are always prosperous; he is haughty and your laws are far from him; he sneers at all his enemies. 6 He says to himself, “Nothing will shake me; I’ll always be happy and never have trouble.” 7 His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. 8 He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims. 9 He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. 10 His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. 11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees.”

12 Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. 13 Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, “He won’t call me to account”? 14 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out.

16 The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. 17 You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, 18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

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Psalm 10 – When God seems not to listen

(Verse 1) The psalmist looks at sinful men instead of to God. He wrongly feels that God is far off. Because Jesus was punished for your sins on the cross and is alive now, if you forsake your sins and receive Him in your heart you can know He is with you always. He will never leave or forsake you.

(Verses 2-11) These paint a wicked man’s life. He is arrogant; attacks and schemes against the weak; boasts in selfish greed; in pride insults, ignores and excludes God from his thoughts; haughty and rich, he hates God’s laws; he sneers at enemies; he is conceited and out of control with his curses, lies and threats; his evil talk troubles others. He stalks, ambushes, and kills innocent victims. Like a lion he waits, hunts, traps, drags off and crushes them. He tells himself that God cannot see him.

(Verses 12-15) give the psalmist’s response in prayer to all that has made him doubt if God is ‘at home’ or listening to him. His prayer is a good practical lesson for us all. He asks God to arise, show His hand, and remember the helpless. He asks why the LORD allows this wicked rebel against God to revile Him and fool himself that God will not make him account for his sins. In short, he asks God to judge the wicked. He then affirms to God his confidence that God does see the trouble and grief and will deal with it. Yes, He will hear the one who calls on Him and help the fatherless. He will deal with the evil man too, making him powerless, and judging him. God has seen him. All sinners are accountable to God now and eternally.

(Verses 16-18) reveal the joyful outcome of this episode as the psalmist worships God. When God answers our prayers, we too should thankfully worship and praise Him for who He is and for what He has done for us. The psalmist’s worship covers the following: the LORD is the ever-living King; He is over nations and judges them; He hears the cries of the afflicted, whom He encourages; He defends the fatherless and oppressed people, so that they no longer are terrified by mere men.