Psalm 10 (Listen)

10:1   Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?
    Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
  In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
    let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
  For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
    and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.
  In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him;
    all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
  His ways prosper at all times;
    your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
    as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
  He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
    throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
  His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
    under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
  He sits in ambush in the villages;
    in hiding places he murders the innocent.
  His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
    he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
  he lurks that he may seize the poor;
    he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
10   The helpless are crushed, sink down,
    and fall by his might.
11   He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
    he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
12   Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;
    forget not the afflicted.
13   Why does the wicked renounce God
    and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
14   But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
    that you may take it into your hands;
  to you the helpless commits himself;
    you have been the helper of the fatherless.
15   Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
    call his wickedness to account till you find none.
16   The LORD is king forever and ever;
    the nations perish from his land.
17   O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18   to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
    so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.




Devotional:

Why has the wicked person despised God? He says to himself, “You will not demand an account.” (Psalm 10:13 CSB) 

Why do people renounce God? Pride? Idolatry? Greed? Hurt? Any or all of these might be reasons people wall up their hearts and reject God. While those who renounce God might often trouble those who love God, we can’t forget that God sees what the wicked do (verse 14) and that God is king forever and ever (verse 16). Indeed, this Psalm assures us that one day God will call the wicked to account (verses 14-15) and He does care for the afflicted (verses 17-18). The day is coming when “mere humans from the earth may terrify [people] no more.” Remember this promise on those days when God seems far away and evil seems to triumph.

Pray it: Father, as I see evil on this earth, help me to remember that you also see it and don’t overlook it. Help me remember that the day will come when you bring justice on the earth – and to live justly and faithfully until that day.

Share it: Share a verse or thought from this passage with someone today.