Psalms 10:1-18
1 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?
2 The wickeda 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'sb desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.
4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
5 His ways are always grievous; 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 neverc be in adversity.
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceitd and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
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.
9 He lieth in wait secretlye 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.
11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.f
13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.
14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committethg himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
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 prepareh 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.i
EXPOSITION
This psalm is to some extent connected with the preceding one, but not very closely. It has turns of expression which are identical, and not common elsewhere; e.g. "in times of trouble" (Psalms 10:1; comp. Psalms 9:9), and much similarity in the thoughts (comp. Psalms 10:2, "Let them be taken," etc; with Psalms 9:15, "In the net which they hid is their foot taken;" Psalms 9:12, "Forget not the humble," with Psalms 9:12, "He forgetteth not the cry of the humble;" Psalms 9:16, "The heathen are perished out of the land," with Psalms 9:5, Psalms 9:6; and Psalms 9:4, "God is not in all his thoughts," with Psalms 9:17, "The nations that forget God"). The metrical structure is thought to be similar ('Speaker's Commentary'), and there is the same imperfect and irregular employment of alphabetic arrangement. Moreover, in the Septuagint Version the two psalms are run into one; and the unusual absence of a title in the Hebrew raises the suspicion that they were once united there also. Yet in their subject they are markedly different. Psalms 9:1. is concerned almost wholly with the heathen, Psalms 10:1. with the wicked, by which we must understand wicked Israelites The former is a psalm of praise and thanksgiving, the latter one of complaint and entreaty; the former is triumphant and exulting, the latter menacing and mournful. Possibly they were composed about the same time, and with some reference of the one to the other, Psalms 9:1. being a review of Israel in its external relations, and Psalms 10:1. a review of Israel in its internal relations and prospects.
Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? Here is the key-note struck at once. Why does God stand aloof? Why, after delivering his people from their foreign foes, does he not interfere to protect his true people from their domestic oppressors? "Throughout the reign of David," as it has been truly observed, "Palestine was infested by brigands, and disturbed by a factious nobility". Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? "Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself," says Isaiah (Isaiah 45:15). And so Job complains, "He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him" (Isaiah 23:9). He seems neither to see nor hear. The psalmist inquires—Why? It can only be answered, "In his wisdom; for his own purposes; because he knows it to be best."
The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor. Dr. Kay translates, "Through the pride of the wicked man the poor is set on fire;" and our Revisers, "In the pride of the wicked, the poor is hotly pursued;" and so (nearly) the LXX; the Vulgate, Aquila, Symmachus, Kohler, Hengstenberg, and others. The Authorized Version paraphrases rather than translates; but it does not misrepresent the general sense, which is a complaint that the poor are persecuted by the wicked. Let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined (comp. Psalms 35:8, "Let his net that he hath hid catch himself;" and Psalms 141:10, "Let the wicked fall into their own nets;" see also Psalms 7:15, Psalms 7:16; Psalms 9:15; Proverbs 5:22; Proverbs 26:27 : Ecclesiastes 10:8). Some, however, translate, "They (i.e. the poor) are ensnared in the devices which they (i.e. the wicked) have imagined;" and this is certainly a possible rendering. Hengstenberg regards it as preferable to the other "on account of the parallelism and connection."
For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire; rather, for the wicked sings praise over his own soul's greed. Instead of praising God, he praises his *own greed and its success (comp. Her; 'Sat.,' 1.1. 66, "At mihi plaudo ipse dotal, stimul ac nummos contemplor in area." And blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth; rather, and when he gets a gain blesses (but) despises the Lord (so Kay, Alexander, Cheyne, and Hengstenberg). Each time that he gets a gain, he says, "Thank God!"—but, in thanking God for an unjust gain, he shows that he despises him.
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. The construction is concise to abruptness, and it is hard to determine the ellipses. The passage in the original runs thus: "The wicked, in the height of his scorn—will not require—no God—all his thoughts.' Of the various attempts to supply the ellipses, and obtain a satisfactory sense, the following (that of the 'Speaker's Commentary') is probably the best: "As for the wicked in the height of his scorn—'God will not require'—'There is no God'—such are all his thoughts." (Compare the Revised Version, which is not very different.) The general sense is that his pride conducts the wicked man to absolute atheism, or at least to practiced atheism (comp. Psalms 10:11, Psalms 10:13).
His ways are always grievous; lather, firm; i.e. steadfast and consistent, not wavering and uncertain. The thoroughly wicked person who "neither fears God nor regards man," pursues the course which he has set himself, without deviation, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left. There is nothing to hinder him—no qualm of conscience, no distrust of himself, no fear of other men's opposition. Thy judgments are far above out of his sight. They are held in reserve; he does not foresee them—he does not believe in them. As for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. His human adversaries he wholly despises, believing that a breath from his month will bring them to nothing.
He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved (comp. Psalms 30:6). The idea of continuance is instinctive in the human mind. "The thing that has been, it is that which shall be" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). We expect the sun to rise each day, solely because in the past it has always risen (see Butler's 'Analogy,' part 1.Psalms 1:1.). The wicked man, who has always prospered, expects to prosper in the future; he has no anticipation of coming change; he supposes that his "house will continue for ever, dud his dwelling-place to all generations' (Psalms 49:11); he thinks that "to-morrow will be as to-day, and much more abundant" (Isaiah 56:12). For I shall never be in adversity; rather, unto generation and generation, I am he who will be exempt from calamity. The wicked man has no thought of dying—he will be prosperous, he thinks, age after age.
His mouth is full of cursing. (On the prevalence of this evil habit among the powerful in David's time, see Psalms 59:12; Psalms 109:17, Psalms 109:18; 2 Samuel 16:5.) And deceit and fraud; or, guile and extortion (Kay); comp. Psalms 36:3; Psalms 55:11. Under his tongue is mischief and vanity; rather, as in the margin, mischief and iniquity. These are stored "under his tongue," ready for utterance whenever he finds a fit occasion.
He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages. These "lurking-places" must not be supposed to have been inside the villages, but outside of them They were retired spots at no great distance, where brigands or others might lie in ambush, ready to seize on such of the villagers as might show themselves. In the secret places doth he murder the innocent (comp. Job 24:14). The usual object would be, not murder, but robbery. Still, there would be cases where it would be convenient to remove a man, as Jezebel removed Naboth; and moreover, in every case of robbery, there is a chance that the victim may resist, and a struggle ensue, in which he may lose his life. His eyes are privily set against the poor; or, his eyes lay ambush for the helpless (Kay). The word translated" poor" (הֵלְכָה) is only found in this place and in Psalms 10:10, where the antithesis of "strong ones" seems to imply that the weak and helpless are meant.
He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den; or, he lurks in the covert as a lion in his lair (Kay)—a very striking image! He lieth in wait (or, lurks) to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net; rather, by drawing him into his net. The mode of capture is intended.
He croucheth, and humbleth himself; rather, crushed, he sinks down. The subject is changed, and the poor man's condition spoken of. That the poor may fall by his strong ones; rather, and the helpless (comp. Psalms 10:8)fall by his strong ones. The "strong ones" are the ruffians whom the wicked man employs to effect his purposes.
He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten (comp. Psalms 10:4, Psalms 10:13). "The wish is father to the thought." As Delitzsch says, "The true personal God would disturb his plans, so he denies him. ' There is naught,' he says, 'but destiny, and that is blind; an absolute, and that has no eyes; an idea, and that has no grasp.'" He hideth his face. He looks away; he does not wish to be troubled or disturbed by what occurs on earth. So the Epicureans in later times. He win never see it (comp. Job 22:12; Psalms 73:11; Psalms 94:7).
Arise, O Lord (comp. Psalms 9:19). At this point the psalmist passes from description to invocation. From Psalms 10:2 to the end of Psalms 10:11 he has described the conduct, the temper, and the very inmost thoughts of the wicked. Now he addresses himself to God—he summons God to arise to vengeance. As Hengetenberg says, "Here the second part begins—prayer, springing out of the lamentation which has preceded;" prayer and invocation, beginning here, and terminating at the close of Psalms 10:15. O God, lift up thine hand; i.e. to strike, to take vengeance on the wicked. Forget not the humble; or, the afflicted. Do not justify the hidden thought of the wicked (Psalms 10:11), that thou forgettest—show that thou rememberest at once the sufferings of the afflicted, and the guilt of their oppressors.
Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? God's long-suffering does but make the wicked despise him. Wherefore is this allowed to continue (comp. Psalms 10:1)? He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it; rather, as in the Prayer-beck Version, while he cloth say in his heart (see Psalms 10:6, Psalms 10:11).
Thou hast seen it. The most emphatic contradiction that was possible to the wicked man's "He will never see it" (Psalms 10:11). God sees, notes, bears in mind, and never forgets, every act of wrong-doing that men commit, and especially acts of oppression. For thou beholdest mischief and spite; or, perhaps, mischief and grief (see Job 6:2); i.e. the "mischief" of the oppressors, and the "grief' of the oppressed. (so Hengstenberg, Cheyne, and the' Speaker's Commentary'). Others refer both words to the feelings of the oppressed, and translate, "travail and grief." To requite it with thy hand. Again the Prayer-book Version is preferable, "to take the matter into thy hand," both for reward and requital. The poor committeth himself unto thee. He has no other possible refuge—therefore no other reliance. Thou art the Helper of the fatherless. The word "thou" is emphatic—"Thou, and no other (אַתָּה)."
Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man; i.e. "break thou his strength; take away his ability to work evil to others." Seek out his wickedness till thou find none; rather, require his wickedness. The verb is the same as that used in the last clause of Psalms 10:13. The wicked man had said in his heart, "Thou wilt not require;" the psalmist calls on God, not only to require, but to require to the uttermost. Seek out, be says, require, and bring to judgment, all his wickedness—every atom of it—until even thy searching eye can find no mere to require, requite, and punish.
Here begins the third part of the psalm. It is, as has been observed, "confident and triumphant." The psalmist has, in the first part, shown the wickedness of the ungodly; in the second, he has prayed for vengeance on them, and for the deliverance of their victims; in the third, he expresses his certainty that his prayer is heard, and that the punishment and deliverance for which he has prayed are as good as accomplished.
The Lord is King for ever and ever (comp. Psalms 29:10; Psalms 146:10). Thus God's kingdom is established, his authority vindicated, his absolute rule over all men made manifest. Internal and external foes are alike overcome. The heathen—whether uncircumcised in the flesh or in the heart (Jeremiah 9:25, Jeremiah 9:26)—are perished out of his (Jehovah's) land.
Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble (comp. Psalms 9:12). It is not the psalmist's prayer alone that he regards as heard and answered. The oppressed have cried to God against their oppressors, and their cry has "come before him, and entered into his ears." Thou wilt prepare their heart; rather, thou dost establish (or, make firm) their heart. Through their conviction that thou art on their side, and art about to help them. Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear; or, thou causest.
To judge the fatherless (see Psalms 10:14) and the oppressed; i.e. to vindicate them—to judge between them and their oppressors. That the man of the earth may no more oppress; or, that terrene man may no longer terrify. There is a play upon the two words in the original, which might thus be rendered. But it has been said, with truth, that this sort of rhetorical ornament "does not suit the genius of our language" (Erle).
HOMILETICS
The protest of faith against sin.
"Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God?" etc. This psalm is one of those which utter with burning fervour the protest of faith against unbelief, of righteousness against iniquity, of loyalty to God against rebellion. To understand these utterances, we must try to see sin as it is in itself, apart from the gracious light of forgiving mercy which the gospel sheds—as they saw it who had to live the life of faith when no cross had been set up, no sacrifice offered "for the sins of the whole world," no gospel of forgiveness preached to the nations. If the prevalence of sin, and its consequent misery, is so heavy a burden to pious hearts to-day, what must it have been then?
I. A TERRIBLE VIEW OF SIN: CONTEMPT OF GOD. Wilful transgressors despise God.
1. They are regardless of his Law. (1 John 3:4.) It is written on their conscience. The blessing of obedience and the curse of disobedience are inwoven in their very nature; for besides that some sins (drunkenness, gluttony, lust, and sloth) destroy even the body, the man himself is worse, mentally, in character, for every sin he commits.
2. They are careless of God's honour. Sin insults and dishonours God—a greater crime than all the injury it does to man.
3. They despise his call to repentance. (Isaiah 1:18; Acts 17:30.)
4. They defy his displeasure and are reckless of his judgment (Luke 13:3, Luke 13:5).
II. A QUESTION ASKED AND ANSWERED. "Wherefore," etc.? Because "he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it" (so Psalms 10:11). Men persuade themselves that, as they forget God, so he forgets them. That is all they desire. An ungodly man's notion of forgiveness is mere omission to punish; neglect of justice; indulgence, not because it is right not to punish, but merely because the thought of punishment is too dreadful and painful. "God," he says, "is too merciful to punish." He does not consider or understand that, as it is impossible for God to forget anything, so there would be no true mercy, but the reverse, in the neglect of justice. This is what is meant by "will by no means clear the guilty," even in the very proclamation of Divine mercy (Exodus 34:6, Exodus 34:7).
III. THE FATAL MISTAKE. God has seen, does remember, will require and judge. To build hope for eternity on the supposed negligence and injustice of God, is to try to cross an abyss on a cloud. If God forgives sinners, he must do it justly, on good grounds (Romans 1:17, Romans 1:18; Romans 2:6; Romans 3:23). The gospel is the glorious revelation of God's pardoning love and grace, not thrust at random on those who continue to despise him, but freely given to each, even the worst, who seeks to "be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20), and lays hold on his promises in Christ (Hebrews 2:3; Hebrews 10:28, Hebrews 10:29).
HOMILIES BY C. CLEMANCE
Why? or, Hard facts and puzzling questions.
Whether or no this psalm was originally a part of the ninth is a question which, as may be seen, is discussed by many expositors. The mere absence of a title to it is, however, a very slight indication in that direction; while the contrast, almost violent, between the two psalms seems to be sufficient to show that they could scarcely have been penned by the same writer at the same time. The ninth psalm is a song of praise over the great deliverance God had wrought in bringing about the destroyer's destruction. This is a mournful wail over the ill designs and too successful plans of the wicked on the one hand, and over the long silence of God on the other. The ungodly are at the very height of their riotous and iniquitous revelling; and the Divine interposition is passionately and agonizingly implored. We have no clue whatever to the precise period of disorder to which reference is here made. Perhaps it is well that we have not. There have been times in the history of the world and of the Church, again and again, when designing and godless men have been, as it were, let loose, and have been permitted to play havoc with God's people, while the righteous were mourning and the wicked were boasting that God did not interpose to check their cruelties and crimes. And it will be necessary for the student and expositor to throw himself mentally into the midst of such a state of things, ere he can appreciate all the words of a psalm like this. For it is one of those containing words of man to God, and not words of God to man. We have therein—terrific facts specified; hard questions asked; a permanent solace; a forced-out prayer.
I. TERRIFIC FACTS. (Psalms 10:2.) Let every phrase in this indictment be weighed; it presents as fearful a picture of human wickedness as any contained in the Word of God. It sets before us pride, persecution, device, boasting, ridicule, denial of Providence, hardness, scorn, evil-speaking, defying and denying of God, oppression and crushing of the poor, a glorying in deeds of shame, and expected impunity therein. £ And what is more trying still is, that God seems to let all this go on, and keeps silence, and stands afar off, and hides himself in times of trouble. £ Such trials were felt by the Protestants in their early struggles; by the Covenanters in times of persecution in Scotland; by faithful ones on the occasion of the St. Bartholomew Massacre; by the Waldenses and Albigenses; by Puritans and Independents under Charles I.; by Churchmen under Cromwell; and by the Malagasy in our own times; and it is only by the terror of such times that psalms like this can be understood.
II. HARD QUESTIONS. Of these there are two. One is in the first verse.
1. Why is God silent? As we look at matters, we might be apt to say that if God has indeed a people in the world, he will never let them fall into the hands of the destroyer; or that, if they are oppressed by evil men, God will quickly deliver them out of their hands, and will show his disapproval of their ways. But very often is it otherwise—to sight, and then faith is tried; and it is no wonder that Old Testament saints should ask" Why?" when even New Testament saints often do the same! But we know that to his own, God gives an inward peace and strength that are better marks of his love and better proofs of his timely aid than any outward distinction could possibly be. Take, e.g; the case of Blandina in the times of early persecution; and the cases of hundreds of others. And besides this, it is by the Christ-like bearing of believers under hardships such as these, that God reveals the reality and glory of his redeeming pace (see 1 Peter 4:12).
2. A second question is: Why doth the wicked contemn God? Ah! why does he? He does contemn God in many ways.
(1) His inward thought is, "There is no God" (Psalms 10:4).
(2) He denies that God will call him to account (Psalms 10:13).
(3) He denies that God watches his actions (Psalms 10:11).
(4) He lulls himself in imagined perpetual security (Psalms 10:6).
Thus the life of such a one is a perpetual denial or defiance of God. And all this is attributed
(a) to "pride" (Psalms 10:4);
(b) to love of evil as evil (Psalms 10:3).
And yet the psalmist, seeing through the vain boast of the ungodly, may well peal out again and again the question, "Why does he do this? "for the implied meaning of the writer is, "Why does he do this, when, in spite of all his proud glorying in ill, he knows that God will bring his wickedness to an end, and will call him to account for it? This is the thought which connects our present division with the next.
III. PERMANENT SOLACE. However hard it may be to interpret the ways of nod at any one crisis, yet the believer knows that he must not judge God by what he sees of his ways, but ought to estimate his ways by what he knows of God. And there are four great truths known about God by the revelation of himself to man.
1. Jehovah is the eternal King (Psalms 10:14).
2. God is the Helper of the fatherless (Psalms 10:14).
3. God is known as the Judge of the oppressed (Psalms 10:18; cf. Psalms 103:6; Psalms 94:8).
4. God hears his people's cry (Psalms 10:17).
When believers know all this, they have a perpetual source of relief even under the heaviest cares. God's plan for the world, in his government thereof by Jesus Christ, is to redress every wrong of man, and to bring about peace, by righteousness (Psalms 72:2, Psalms 72:4).
IV. FERVID PRAYER. (Psalms 10:12, Psalms 10:15.) Times of severest pressure are those which force out the mightiest prayer (Act 4:33 -38). Luther, etc.; Daniel (Daniel 2:16; Daniel 9:1). The true method of prayer is thus indicated, viz. to ascertain from God's revelation of himself, what he is and what are his promises, and then to approach him in humble supplication, pleading with him to reveal the glory of his Name, by fulfilling the promises he has made; and when our prayers move in the direct line of God's promises, we are absolutely sure of an answer (but see Psalms 65:5; Revelation 8:4, Revelation 8:5; Deuteronomy 33:26-5). To-day is a day of God's concealing himself; but his day of self-revealing is drawing nigh.—C.
HOMILIES BY W. FORSYTH
Times of darkness and fear.
The experiences of the psalmist may differ from ours, but by faith and sympathy we can enter into his feelings. Besides, there is always more or less of trouble. Life is full of vicissitudes. Times of darkness and of fear come to all. Not from one, but from many, the cry goes up to Heaven, "Why standest thou afar off?"
I. THE COMPLAINT. (Psalms 10:1.) Why? Perplexity and fear are natural because of the silence of God. What makes his silence the more awful is that it is in sight of the sufferings of the good (Psalms 10:2). On every side evil abounds. Truth, justice, benevolence, are set at naught. Might prevails against fight. Righteousness is fallen in the dust. Oppression has reached such a height that it seems as if it would finally triumph. The mystery deepens, when we mark that God's silence is in the hearing of the vauntings of the wicked (Psalms 10:3). The proud not only boast of their strength, but exult in their success. They have accomplished their evil desires. They parade their insolence and scorn in the very hearing of Heaven. Seeing there is no judgment executed, they harden their hearts, and hold on their way with reckless hardihood.
II. THE APPEAL. (Psalms 10:12.) The cry is impassioned and urgent. God's truth and honour are concerned. Redress must be given, else things will soon be beyond remedy.
1. The experience of the past is urged. (Psalms 10:14.) God is just. What he has done is earnest of what he will do. His deeds bind him as well as his promises.
2. The present also bears witness. (Psalms 10:5.) There is requital even now. As surely as the good is blessed in his deed, the wicked is cursed in his wickedness.
3. The future is therefore anticipated with confidence. (Psalms 10:6.) As the sinker muses on the character and ways of God, he rises to a bolder strain. Faith sees the vision of coming judgment. There are sore trials, there are great perplexities, but God is just. He is not indifferent. He is not helpless. He is not slack concerning his promise. But he waits in long-suffering mercy for the fit—the appointed time. A prepared heart will always find a prepared God (Psalms 10:16): "Thou wilt cause thine ears to hear." Men may give their ears, and no more. Not so God. He not only hears, but acts. There is the tenderest pity; but there is also the most tremendous power. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."—W.F.
Man's thoughts.
I. MAN HAS THOUGHTS. He can direct his mind to the past, the present, the future. He can speculate as to the manifold things that come before him and affect his interests. It is his glory that he can think; it is his shame that he so often thinks foolishly.
II. MAN'S THOUGHTS DEPEND UPON HIS MORAL CONDITION. We are creatures of feeling. What is uppermost in our hearts will be uppermost in our thoughts. The good man has good thoughts, the evil man evil thoughts. Change the character of the heart, and you change the character of the thoughts (Proverbs 12:5; Proverbs 15:26; Matthew 12:33).
III. WHEN THE MORAL DISPOSITION IS CORRUPT, THE TENDENCY IS TO EXCLUDE GOD FROM THE THOUGHTS. The plan, the labours, the enjoyments of life are too often without God (Luke 12:19, Luke 12:20; James 4:13). This is irrational, criminal, and ruinous (Psalms 146:4).—W.F.
Trial in three aspects.
I. TRIAL AS A PAINFUL INFLICTION. "For the present … grievous" (Hebrews 12:11).
II. As A HOLY DISCIPLINE. There is a "needs be." God means us good, to make us partakers of his holiness.
III. As A SALUTARY EXPERIENCE. David says, "It was good for me that I was afflicted," and he gives reasons for this. Looking hack, humbled and awed, but grateful, we can praise God for his judgments as well as for his mercies. We have the witness in ourselves that God is love, and that when he chastens us it is for our good. Thus we learn to suffer and to wait. The future is bright with hope. In the heavenly world to which we aspire there shall be no more pain, no more sorrow, nor crying, nor tears. Christ will make all things new.—W.F.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT
The righteous God.
The one grand thought which runs through this psalm and most of the Old Testament literature is that God, notwithstanding all appearances to the contrary, is a Righteous Being, and that all wickedness must be punished and overthrown. In this psalm two principal thoughts are vividly pictured forth, and a prayer.
I. A COMPLAINT TO GOD OF THE DARING ATHEISM OF THE WICKED. (Psalms 10:1.)
1. He imagines himself to be above all restraint, human or Divine. (Psalms 10:2.) Proud. boastful, blessing the robber, despising God, blind. "He requireth not; there is no God."
2. He feels safe and prosperous. (Psalms 10:5, Psalms 10:6.)
3. His ways are full of deceit and violence. (Psalms 10:7, Psalms 10:8.) This is a description of the wicked man in the very fulness and monstrosity of his evil power.
4. The cruelty of his ways. (Psalms 10:9.) He is compared to a ravenous lion. His ferocity is entirely unrestrained, because either there is no God or he will not concern himself with the fate of the oppressed and afflicted.
II. A PRAYER FOR GOD'S INTERPOSITION. (Psalms 10:12.)
1. Founded upon the contrast between the thoughts of the wicked and the actual conduct of God. (Psalms 10:12.)
2. And upon the expectations of the helpless and the forlorn. (Psalms 10:14.) "The helpless leaveth it to thee, and thou wilt not disappoint him."
3. Wickedness can be destroyed and made to disappear from amongst men. (Psalms 10:15.)
III. THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH. The psalmist looks upon God's work of comfort and salvation as being quite as certain in the future as if they had been works done in the past.
1. Jehovah is King for ever and ever. (Psalms 10:16.) Nothing can overturn his eternal will.
2. The future triumph of God's righteousness is regarded as already completed. (Psalms 10:17, Psalms 10:18.) The beginning of the work which he has seen gives him faith that it will be perfected. "Perfect that which concerneth us." "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ."—S.