Psalm 10

The notes in both of my study Bibles indicate that Psalm 9 and 10 are really one Psalm.

If that is the case, we need to take them together.

Psalm 9 expressed intense praise for all of God's mighty deeds, then railed against the wicked, and spoke of God's steadfast, eternal nature.   He, alone is righteous and holy, and just and will sit on His throne forever.  The Psalm ended with a cry for God to act....to show Himself, and 'not let man prevail'.  To humble the wicked to know that they are but men.

Then we move directly into a questioning 'why?'  Why does God stand far off and seemingly allow the wicked to prosper?

The Psalmist bemoans the arrogance, boasts, curses, pride, rebellion, deceit, oppression, mischief and iniquity of the wicked.  They are haughty toward God's decrees.  He curses and renounces God, saying, "there is no God,", and that he is far off and won't act....or doesn't see.

And to the righteous......the wicked seem to have no troubles.  They seem to prosper and have no consequences for their sin.

 So the Psalmist, who knows God's character, and how history will run (Psalm 2!), cries for God to act.
We want to see the wicked stumble and fall, then be no more.

But even in the middle of this discouragement, he reminds himself, and his readers, that God does see,  and He will act.  And that He is a king forever, while the nations will crumble in the schemes they have laid out to ensnare the weak and oppressed.

and I love how the last verses tie in to the last verses of chapter 9.

In 9, he pleads for God to act, and let man not think more highly of himself than he should.

In 10, he announces with confidence that God will hear and strengthen the afflicted.  Justice will be done.  And 'man of the earth may strike terror no more.'

Once again, I am sure my troubles are nothing compared to that which David faced.   I well know, however the plea for God to act.  Someone I knew once who seemingly knew the Lord and served Him, rebelled against God in a very alarming way.   I will never forget the chilling words spoken to me one night."I don't serve the same God you serve anymore.    I serve me!".   It frightened me, because I know, with David. that His decrees will stand, and that He will judge.

I have plead with Him to take down the wicked before, asking in frustration, "Why do you let the wicked prosper?!  While I have trouble upon trouble?"  The only answer is found in the precious truths of Scripture.....God is faithful and true, patient and kind.  But His holiness demands that he judge sin.  He WILL judge, and the wicked who say there is no God, or re-invent Him to be other than He says He isfor their own convenience  will be like the chaff that the wind blows away.  Like the tree NOT planted by the waters, that withers and dies.  Like the unfruitful bough that is cut off and burned in the fire.  It might not happen the way I imagine it, or the way I would execute it, but I can rest assured that God will do it.

But......lest I get a little prideful about my own standing.......I have learned that if I am going to pray God's judgement on someone else.....am I willing to ask Him to lay me bare also?  To root out and reveal the sin in my own heart?    Ouch.  He will do this too.   And it makes me much more humble, and willing to wait patiently for His will to be accomplished in history.