Why, O Lord?
Opening Prayer
Lord, help me to trust the goodness of Your heart even when darkness comes.
Read Psalm 10:1-18
[1] Why, 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 about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. [4] In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. [5] His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies. [6] He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.” [7] His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. [8] He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent. His eyes watch in secret for his victims; [9] like a lion in cover he lies in wait. 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 will never notice; 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, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. [15] Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out. [16] The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. [17] You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, [18] defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What is causing the psalmist trouble?It is OK to be real with God. This might involve crying out to him in frustration (12) and appealing for answers to the questions which trouble us most (1). God is big enough to receive angst-ridden complaints, especially from those whom he knows to be his own people, speaking from sincere places in their hearts. All that is true of the psalmist here. And let’s be honest: thousands of years later, we still don’t have answers for him. Psalm 10 does not explain why our God sometimes seems so close but sometimes absent. But what we do find here is some wonderful guidance about how to respond when faced with such tough questions. From verse 14, the writer turns from the wicked to declare the character of God. In truth God is never far away; at the center of his concern is the plight of the poor and helpless. If we feel confused, frustrated and angry, simply stating these truths sets our eyes in the right place. Then there’s a still deeper reality in verse 16: God is for ever. In the scale of eternity, he will work all these matters out rightly.
Apply
Tell God what he is like; tell him about the things which frustrate you the most; then tell him what he is like again.
Closing prayer
Father, You are good and You do good. One day all that is opposed to You will be removed.
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