Psalm 10:1-6 “Why do you stand far off, LORD? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught in the schemes that they devise. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings. He blesses the greedy and condemns the LORD. The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God. His ways are prosperous at all times. He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them. He says in his heart, ‘I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.’”

Psalm 10 is a psalm of lament. A lament is a cry out to God for immediate help. A frequent refrain in laments is “why?” Why is it taking God so long to intervene? Why isn’t God acting right now? Why isn’t God punishing the wicked? Why isn’t God helping the righteous? Why isn’t the wicked concerned about judgment? Where Psalm 9 was concerned more about an outside threat, here the concern seems to be threats from closer to home. Not an invading army, but perhaps an unjust judge. An evil neighbor. The ungodly rich.

Does God’s seeming lack of concern ever bother you? Do you long for Him to intervene? He may soon, but He will later. Justice and judgement on all is a certainty. It just doesn’t always happen in this life. Sometimes it does, but sometimes we have to wait.

Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the LORD.”

For additional worship: “Why doth the Lord stand off so far?” (Isaac Watts)

Why doth the Lord depart so far,
And why conceal his face,
When great calamities appear,
and times of deep distress?

Lord, shall the wicked still deride
Thy justice and the laws?
Shall they advance their heads in pride,
And slight their righteous cause?

They cast thy judgments from their sight
And then insult the poor;
They boast in their exalted height,
That they shall fall no more.

Arise, O God, lift up thine hand
Attend our humble cry;
No enemy shall dare to stand,
When God ascends on high.

Why do the men of malice rage,
And say with foolish pride,
The God of heav'n will ne'er engage
To fight on Zion's side?

But thou for ever art our Lord;
And pow'rful is thine hand,
As when the Heathens felt thy sword,
And perish'd from thy land.

Thou wilt prepare our hearts to pray,
And cause thine ear to hear;
Accept the vows thy children pay,
And free thy saints from fear.

Proud tyrants shall no more oppress,
No more despise the just;
And mighty sinners shall confess,
They are but earth and dust.