Psalm 10: Petition To Praise

Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2     In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
3     For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.
4     In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him;
all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
5     His ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
6     He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
7     His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
8     He sits in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places he murders the innocent.
       His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9         he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
       he lurks that he may seize the poor;
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
10    The helpless are crushed, sink down,
and fall by his might.
11    He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
12    Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
forget not the afflicted.
13    Why does the wicked renounce God
and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
14    But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
       to you the helpless commits himself;
you have been the helper of the fatherless.
15    Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
call his wickedness to account till you find none.
16    The Lord is king forever and ever;
the nations perish from his land.
17    O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18    to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
 
Meditation
When eyes of faith see both the presence of God and the person of who He is, then our prayers of petitions that arise from problems will be transformed into praise.
 
David’s problems began with the perceived distance of the Lord from the wicked in the world. When we do not believe God is near then we will not see God for who He is. The practical atheism of the wicked fueled pride and arrogance in their hearts, they rejected God and sought to ruin God’s people (2-11). When the wicked rule the helpless are crushed and innocent murdered.
 
David petitions (12-15) God to make Himself known by punishing the wicked, remembering the afflicted, and revealing His heart for the helpless. God hears prayers. God sees the wicked deeds of the godless. God is a helper to all who hope in Him.
 
Wherever you are, God is not far. David’s petitions are transformed into praise when he sees the Lord’s presence and person. The Lord is an eternal king who works justice for the fatherless and oppressed, protecting His people so the wicked of the earth “may strike terror no more” ((16-18). When we see the nearness of God we are reminded of His character and hope strengthens our hearts.
 
Jesus is God with us, and He promises to never leave us or forsake us. Jesus is the King of Kings, having authority over everything. When our eyes of faith see Jesus with us in our problems the prayers of petition from our problems will be transformed into praise.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you about David’s perception of God, the petition from his problems, and the praise that concludes the passage?
 
-Does your heart make the transition from petition to praise in your prayers? What does this say about how you see and know the Lord’s character?
 
-How does the promise of the presence of Jesus and seeing Him as king change everything about our problems and petitions, empowering them to transform into praise? Where do you need to practice this in your life?
 
Key Verse
1 Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?... 17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear