learning DAILY

Psalm10:1-4, Why do you stand afar off, O Lord?  Why do you hide in times of trouble?  The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; let them be caught in the plots they have devised.  For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; he blesses greedy and renounces the Lord.  The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.

You played Hide and Seek when you were young, right?  I played it as a child, played it with my daughters, and played it with my grandkids.  With my girls and grandkids, I changed the rules of the game; when I am found, I chase them.  Everyone ran away screaming, with me not far behind – screaming!  We could only play this game when it was just us.  Oh, it was great fun!  But on some days I hid so no one could find me – the game was not as much fun then. 

George O Wood in his book, A Psalm in Your Heart has great thoughts on this Psalm.  He explains that King David is at a point in his life when he has lost his sense of God’s protection.  David asks “Why do you stand far off, Lord?”  David is expressing how difficult this time is for him because God does not seem to be helping him (perhaps not doing what he wants Him to do in the way he wants).  Wood believes that expressing one’s hurt is healthy.  By expressing himself in this way, David began to allow his faith and trust in the Lord to comfort him in the difficult times he faced.

There is another aspect of the verses above.  The writer of the Psalm is grieving over the arrogant attitude of wicked people and their apparent success.  How often do Christians today look at the worldly success of non-Christians?  How often do Christians look at others who gain in unethical ways, look at the injustices going on, and at evil that seemingly is running rampant and wonder why God seems to appear to be standing “afar off”?  Those who are doing these things today appear to be led by evil; they do not seek God.  He is not in their thoughts or they would not be doing what they are.  Sin and cruelty will not be crushed nor righteousness fully reign until Christ returns to destroy all evil.  Until that time, Christians must believe and find comfort in knowing that God has heard their prayers and will give them strength to endure until He comes.

I sometimes wonder where God is, that He does not hear my prayers.  When those days occur, it seems like the wicked are just waiting to jump out from their hiding place to chase, to destroy, and to kill.  But as a Believer in Jesus Christ, I remember that He is in complete control of all things, in every situation.  He is never far off and He will never allow us to be chased or tempted without watching over us.

The Psalm ends with “The Lord is King forever and ever”.  It is a word of confidence that each of  us can grasp and hang on to.  It is a promise to us that He knows and understands every Believer’s situation.  We need this today!

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