In Part 1 “Does God See?” of this devotional writing of Psalm 10, the Psalmist describes the evil deeds of the wicked and offers a desperate cry for God’s help, thus, “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; forget not the afflicted.” He pleads with God to destroy the power the wicked yields over the helpless, “Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer…” He ascribes two qualities of God in which we also can be confident:
- God keeps a record of wrongdoing. The Psalmist declared, “But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands.” God is the strong arm for those who trust in him. Our grief and trouble does not go unnoticed by him. When David was surrounded by his enemies (Philistines) in Gath, he confidently proclaimed of God, “You have kept my tossing; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” (Ps 56:8). We should be encouraged because not only does God see our suffering, he never forgets. A record is made in heaven that is a part of the greater story of our redemption in Jesus. Hallelujah!
- God will repay. Though the wicked renounce God and say within their hearts, “God will not call to account,” we trust in His word that teaches that he will not allow the unrepentant go unpunished, thus the Psalmist expresses confidence that God will, “…do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that the man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.”
God preserves his people. In faith we rejoice in this truth because God has control over all matters in creation. Even the wicked are under his rule and footstool. In theological terms, God is Sovereign. This is the reason why the Psalmist with joy proclaims, “The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land.” You and I are in God’s hands, even when we are enduring trial under the arm of the wicked. Remember the words of our Lord in the midst of his suffering at the hands of sinful men, when Pilate boasted in his authority to crucify him. Jesus’ response, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above” (Jn 19:11). He understood he was in the Father hands in the midst of the most terrible and gross miscarriage of justice in human history. How much more (we the recipients and inheritors of the promise of the cross and resurrection) should we trust that God preserves you and I for our hope and future he established before the creation of the world? Let us pray and meditate over truth that should strengthen us this week.
Blessings,
Dr. Jason S. Price, Th.D
www.springoflivingwaters.com