This brings us to the end of this series. I hope it has been meaningful.
I'll be taking a two week break from devotions and will re-start on Tues 14 Sep.
God bless,
Theo
The God who sees...
Today we're looking at Psalm 10 which is a lament against a wicked enemy. The enemy is cruel, ruthless, arrogant, confident, powerful, abusive, and God-defiant. He is described in detail from vv.2-13.
The Psalmist struggles with the prosperity of the wicked and the apparent absence of God. For him it feels as though God has hidden and is far away. For a little while the image of the enemy dominates the psalmist's view and there seems to be no connection to God. Verses 2-13 are an outpouring of pain, poison, and frustration. It is as though the psalmist needs to describe this great enemy in God's presence and to dump his bucket of disappointment and confusion.
It is when the pain has been poured out in God's presence that the balance is restored. The Psalmist remembers who God is and that God sees trouble and takes it in hand. He will break the arm (symbolic of power) of the wicked and call him to account even for the sins no-one has seen. Even nations must bow to His power.
The psalmist gets perspective as he realises that God is king forever and He will ultimately deal with those who are evil. He is the helper of the fatherless and the defender of the oppressed. He is enthroned, awesome, mighty, and eternal. He sees, defends, hears, listens, delivers, judges, and rules.
And the enemies? They're just human!
| 1 Why, O 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. ... 14 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out. 16 The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. 17 You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, 18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more. (Psalms10:1-18) |
