“Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised…He (the wicked) has said in his heart, ‘God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see it.’..Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man; Seek out his wickedness until You find none. The Lord is King forever and ever; The nations have perished out of His land. Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more.” (Psalm 10: 1-2, 11,15-18. NKJV) [Read Psalm 10]The Psalmist addresses God in the opening verses, asking a question common to us all: “Lord, why do you seem so far away when I’m in such trouble?” Have we not each, at some time or another, had the same type of ‘pity-party’ thinking God has forsaken us?
The wicked, the enemy still appear to have the upper hand and the psalmist is having a hard time dealing with the situation. This psalm definitely follows the pattern of a lament when the situation is presented to God. Then his words turn into a psalm of thanksgiving because he anticipates victory from the Lord. Those who oppress and undermine others think they can continue in their wickedness and God will not do anything to punish them. They have only room for themselves and their selfish desires and blithely ignore that God will one day call them to account. By verse 14 of this psalm, there is a turning, an assurance that God will bring justice to the wicked and lift up the downtrodden. In fact, “the nations will perish from this land” (v. 14). Have you not heard that wise warning: “Be sure your sins will find you out”? This psalm celebrates the truth that “God continues to rule the world and protect the helpless from proud, power-mad rulers” (Dr. Alton H. McEachern, “Psalms,” The Disciple’s Study Bible. Nashville: Holman, 1988. p. 643). Regardless of how powerful human rulers seem to be, no matter how wicked their reign nor how they oppress people, God is still the ruler over all. His supreme authority will prevail, and one day the whole earth will bow to him. That time is foretold in scripture: “Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That to me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him.” (Isaiah 45:22-24). In the New Testament, Paul repeats this truth in Romans 14:11-12 (and again in Philippians 2:10-11): “It is written: ‘As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God. So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” At this Thanksgiving season, let us thank God for His mighty sovereignty.
c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Monday, November 15, 2010
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