Psalm 10
Psalm 10.
This Psalm is a tough one. Upon first reading, it might even feel like the author is calling you out, labeling you, the reader, as “wicked” or “greedy.” We can tend to read ourselves into the text, questioning, “where am I the wicked man?” Is David trying to call us out and make us feel bad? Or does this text have a different intention?
This Psalm is one of many Psalms of Lament. We are starting off this series with a Psalm of Lament because approximately two-thirds of these poems and songs are ones of lament. If we are going to be good students of the Psalms, we need to know how to read lament.
To lament means to express sorrow, grief, and regret. Oftentimes, we see lament paired with the expression of doubt towards God & his goodness.
David is using the caricature of “the wicked man” to express his frustration at God. It seems to David that despite the wicked man’s negligence and evil, “his ways are always prosperous.” (verse 5)
David raises the age-old question: Why do those who do wicked seem to prosper, while the innocent are mistreated?
We see this injustice happen on a large scale everyday. Innocent people are bombed, abused, and mistreated simply because of their country of origin, gender, religion or ethnicity. Where is God and his justice?
We also experience this on a small scale within our own hearts. If Jesus is supposed to be better than all worldly things, why do my friends who don’t follow Jesus and do whatever have such good, seemingly prosperous, lives? Why can’t I follow Jesus and have *fill in the blank.* It just doesn’t seem fair.
All of these questions and feelings are valid. We need to wrestle with them, and that is exactly what David is doing here. When we see injustice and evil, how can we respond? David gives us some language to help us grapple with the hardships of the world & our lives while still focusing on the character of God.
Say it like it is.
David uses precise language and colorful imagery to describe the evil he sees. It’s a bit graphic. When you pray, do you say it like it is? Or do you smooth out your thoughts, feelings, and experiences before you bring them to God? When we lament, it does no good to sugar coat things. God already knows, and is already lamenting the evil you see and experience (verse 17). Whether you are furious or in despair, just say it like it is. God can take it.
Don’t be afraid to ask.
In verse 12, David requests that the Lord “Arise… and lift up [His] hand!” David asks God to take action against evil. David tells God not to “forget the fatherless.” When we ask God to intervene and act on His character in the face of evil, it shows that we are aligned with God’s will.
If immediate change or change at all doesn’t happen, it doesn’t mean God didn’t hear your request. We know from the story of scripture that God allows humans the choice to follow His good instruction or to invest in evil. Yet we also know that no person or situation is too far from the transformative power of God. However long this transformation takes, we shouldn’t be afraid to ask God to intervene.
Center yourself on God’s truth.
This can be terribly hard sometimes. But even when you are in a moment of deep lament, try to find one truth of God to center on. In this psalm, David says that, “The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land” (verse 16).
To paraphrase, this world will end and all people will die. But God will be there. Not exactly the most rosy truth, yet it is still beautiful. David is hoping for the future reality where the dumpster fire of human sinfulness perishes and God’s goodness reigns.
Is there an injustice, evil, or tragic situation weighing on your heart right now? This could be something personal, or something more global. Take a moment to lament this by journaling or praying aloud using David’s model:
Say it like it is.
Ask for help.
Center yourself on God’s truth.
