Psalm 10

Read Psalm 10 here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+10&version=NIV

Verse 1 says this:

Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Would you say that’s true right now? That God is hiding himself in these times we’re in right now?

I don’t think it is. I think God is very close right now. I feel like God is far off when I screw up. When I do something wrong or when I’m attacked or even if I were sick. But I’m not sick right now. I don’t know too many who are seriously ill. If I’ve done wrong or am going to do the wrong thing then I wonder if God is there. What’s happening to us right now for most people is passive. We don’t know a whole lot of people with the virus, we’re just annoyed we’re stuck with people inside and we’re bored. That seems to be consensus. I’m sure the scenario would be different if I knew a loved one dying from this or if I lost my job. And those people exist but they don’t seem to be a significant number.

For me I would say I see God more right now. I feel that unjustified attacks and persecutions help me to see God more like it did for Job. I’m sure the scenario would be different if I knew a loved one dying from this, or if family members had lost income. And those people exist but they don’t seem to be a significant number. I find that God feels farther away when things are going very well. I don’t feel like I need him.

But maybe that is true for you. Maybe you do feel like God is far off. What hope do we find in this passage then? The last three verses tell us what we need to know:

The Lord is King for ever and ever;
    the nations will perish from his land.
¹⁷ You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
¹⁸ defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

When this was written David was likely king or perhaps Saul. But they weren’t really the king. They had the foresight to give a shout out to the true king. Our president fortunately isn’t the king for ever and ever either. No we have someone greater. We have a father above all fathers- someone who hears the cries of the oppressed and answers. We have so many who are in need of a father. God is our father who takes care of every need. He answers our cries through His Son. And by His son’s death and resurrection adopts us all as his own forever. We are no longer fatherless, directionless, purposeless, when you’re part of God’s family. He gives all of those things to us.

May you see Him and be drawn near to him during this time and all times.