Psalm 10
Pastor Mark Hudson
I probably have too many commentaries, but I am greatly helped by the insight of others. I have a number of commentaries on Psalms but one of the best is a series of 3 small paperbacks by Derek Kidner. He is consistently insightful and helpful. He titles his comments on this Psalm as Man: predator and prey. His first few comments are worth quoting in whole.
“It is the arrogance of this man, adding Godward insult to manward injury, that dominates this account of him. Perhaps he protests too much: his blasphemy (3b) and his repeated assurances to himself of his impunity (4, 6, 11, 13) betray a basic disquiet. The bold words, ‘There is no God’ (v. 4) are bravado, for his inner dialogue contradicts them (v. 11, 13). Yet they are the language of his choices and actions, since thoughts in v. 4 means ‘schemes’, as in verse 2. He is a practicing atheist, if hardly a convinced one.
. . . One of his chief weapons is his tongue, who varied techniques of intimidation and confusion are suggested in the long catalogue of verse 7. The pathetic state of his victims is shown in the reiterated word hapless, or ‘poor wretch’ (NEB), found only here (8, 10, 14).” Kinder’s footnotes suggests that a probable Egyptian cognate has the sense of ‘overwhelmed’ or ‘demoralized’.
This Psalm is an acrostic of sorts. In other words, the acrostic is not perfect but there. The Psalmist’s existential problem is God’s indifference, seeming lack of concern and silence. God seems like He is in another country while the author is bothered by this every day. Injustice is all the author sees. So, why doesn’t God see it and do something about it? Quit hiding and act! It sounds and feel blasphemous, but people are being beat up by this constant evil.
Now in v. 2, the author, with peculiar insight, describes what makes him so upset. The wicked are determined to catch the poor, they “hotly pursue the poor’. They are busy planning and scheming for the best way to make money at the expense of the poor. This person acts in ways that is the opposite of God. God is a Giver, Protector, Lover, and Defender of the poor. A person is in serious trouble when how they speak, think, and act is contrary to God.
What makes this galling is how the wicked have to tell everyone about what he does and what he thinks about God. To this author, like Ps. 73’s author, “His ways prosper at all times; Your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them” (v. 5). Here we see a glimmer of hope (or dread for the unbeliever) in the mention of God’s judgments. While they may be ‘on high, out of his sight,’ judgement is pending, looming over all the wicked’s endeavors.
The Psalmist, via inspiration, can ‘hear’ what the wicked says in his heart. The proud are talkers while God is silent. God feels no constraints to correct every word, sentence, or song against His majesty. Not only his tongue but his eyes are busy as well. In vs. 8-9, he watches the helpless, not to assist, but to ambush them. ‘He lurks so that he may seize the poor’ in v. 9. So very different from God. By his actions the helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.’ In v. 11, “He (God) has hidden His face, He will never see it” says to wicked and it certainly seems that way.
But the Psalmist calls out to God. The author knows God cares and will act. “Arise, O Lord, lift up Your hand; forget not the afflicted” (v. 12) And even though the wicked in v. 13 think they know that God will not call them to account (what happened to v. 4, ”There is no God?”). The Psalmists corrects course and after the doubts of v. 1ff, his faith gains strength and confidence in God. “You do see . . . (You) note mischief . . . that you make take it in Your hands. You have been a helper to the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer . . . .”
“The Lord is king forever and ever and He is a defender of the oppressed” v. 16. We know this God as one who hates evil and those who oppress others. God is a God of justice. We admit that may be difficult to see at times. If you were black in this county in Tulsa Ok in 1921 or a black that served our country in WWII and still faced decades of racism, you would have wondered where justice could be found. But the wicked will have their day in court before a holy God. And, in one sense, there will be hell to pay. What a terrible moment for the ungodly to realize there is not only life after death, but God is also alive and just.
Dear Lord, forgive us when we make conclusion upon what we can see. It is hard for us to reconcile what we know about You and what we see in this life. But there is coming a day when the wicked will receive from You what they deserve, and the righteous will receive what they do not deserve. One receives wrath; one grace. Lord, we, along with Christians around the world, ask that You protect Your people, defend the oppressed, the orphans, and those in financial distress. Show Yourself as the just God You are. But whatever we see, whatever we experience, strengthen our resolve to love, honor, obey, and worship You until our dying breath. For the sake of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Amen.