2004-12-26 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Psalm 10

1. Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

Haven't we all felt this way? When we need Him the most, it sometimes seems like He's hiding in some far away place?

2. The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3. For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.

God despises the greedy, the wicked, and...

4. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

To his way of thinking, God must always be hiding in some far-away place, because he acts as if there is no judgment.

5. His ways are always grievous; (they're never straight, but always twisting and convoluted) thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.
6. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

The wicked says to himself, "Since I haven't received any punishment for the things I'm doing now, that must mean I never will be."

7. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

The wicked mouth is full of curses, lies and injury. What comes out in his language, his speech, is trouble and sorrow. (so now the finger is pointing back at me)

8. He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.

(1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:)

9. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
10. He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.

He pretends to be weak so maybe you'll let down your guard.

11. He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

The wicked man does indeed believe there is a God, but he thinks God is too far away and too busy to be concerned with little-old him.

12. Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.
13. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn (spurn) God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. (the wicked thinks God will not recompense those who reject Him)
14. Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

The poor don't take matters into their own hands. Mischief and spite are rejected, troublemaking and anger are forsaken, and these matters are left for God's judgments. Instead, the humble ask...

15. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
16. The Lord is king for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.
17. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
18. To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

In this Psalm we find both the wicked and the humble making the same mistake: thinking God is in some far-away place, not looking at them, not concerned with their every need and their every deed. The difference is that the wicked finds comfort in this belief because he brags (v.3) about the evil desires in his heart, but the desire of the humble (v.17,18) is to the Lord. "Lord, hear our cry and strengthen our hearts."