Psalm 10

    1      Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
    2      The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
    Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

    3      For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
    He blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD.
    4      The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
    God is in none of his thoughts.

    5      His ways are always prospering;
    Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
    As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
    6      He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
    I shall never be in adversity.”
    7      His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;
    Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.

    8      He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
    In the secret places he murders the innocent;
    His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
    9      He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
    He lies in wait to catch the poor;
    He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
    10      So he crouches, he lies low,
    That the helpless may fall by his strength.
    11      He has said in his heart,
    “God has forgotten;
    He hides His face;
    He will never see.”
    12      Arise, O LORD!
    O God, lift up Your hand!
    Do not forget the humble.
    13      Why do the wicked renounce God?
    He has said in his heart,
    “You will not require an account.”

    14      But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
    To repay it by Your hand.
    The helpless commits himself to You;
    You are the helper of the fatherless.
    15      Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
    Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

    16      The LORD is King forever and ever;
    The nations have perished out of His land.
    17      LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;
    You will prepare their heart;
    You will cause Your ear to hear,
    18      To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
    That the man of the earth may oppress no more.
-Psalm 10

There are several lessons we can take from this Psalm. I am sure from the onset of this Psalm many of us have asked the Lord similar things. Why are the wicked prospering? He lied, cheated, and stole and is getting away with it? How can this be? Or it just seems like wickedness is a fast track to success in this world. The Psalmist here cries out to the Lord seeking for justice to be had in this. As he does, he highlights some very important details about the wicked.

The nature of wickedness seeks to hide itself from God's eyes. Think back to the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit. They covered their shame and hid from the Lord, concerning with what the Lord might respond. Through this Psalm we see that wickedness not only seeks to hide itself from the Lord, but causes the prideful heart of man to be convinced that there will be no consequence for his actions.

As the Psalmist records this reality, he identified a group that he calls upon the Lord to remember: the humble. God gives grace to the humble, yet resists the proud. God is a helper to those who walk in humility, those that are pour in spirit and submit before Him. While it may appear that the wicked rule and reign without consequence in this world, remember with the Psalmist who the King of Kings is. The Lord is King forever and ever, and He hears the cry of the humble. Justice will yet be poured out for the fatherless and oppressed. The wicked will not persist.

Understanding this truth, humble yourself before the Lord. Submit to His will and continue in trusting Him in all things. Regularly take this practice upon yourself and wage war actively within yourself against any wickedness that may rest within you. Do not exalt yourself in pride and believe that the Lord does not take account. Do not think you can hide yourself from the Lord. He sees all and knows all, so humble yourself before Him.