Psalm 10: When God Seems Hidden: The Cry of the Oppressed

Well, hello and welcome to the Pastor Patrick podcast. My name is Patrick Daly and I am the pastor of Ontario Community Church. It is absolutely great to be here and to be back. I cannot believe that it's been 6 months since the last time I've recorded a podcast. you know, I was doing one podcast episode a week, which is an ambitious and bold goal and it was a lot of fun doing it, but things just started piling up and just a lot was going on at the time.

And uh for the last 6 months, I mean, there's a lot uh to unpack and a lot to really go over and a lot that I'm happy to share with you. So before we even go into this uh next episode, this uh Psalm 10, this episode 10, I want to kind of go over with you what exactly has been going on and um what my intention to do with this podcast is. So I just want to take a moment and let's shift on over then. So to begin off with, I just want to let you know that um a lot has been happening at Ontario Community Church. We've just been uh focusing a lot on community outreach and just a lot of uh partnerships and really growing the church.

I was working on a uh sermon series through the parables of Christ. And I just recently started a revelation series um at at the church which has just been uh something remarkable, something um that I've been really wanting to do for a long time. And uh I'm very excited for that. So uh that's on the pastoral front. Um, another thing that's been going on is I actually started going to get my Masters of Divinity.

I got a um a scholarship to go to uh MTSO, Methodist Theological School in Ohio. And that's kind of to just help me um explore my theological convictions and really to just grow as a person. Uh, one thing that I'm really um, passionate about, you know, I I feel that I know a a pretty good amount of scripture, but I want to expand uh, regarding community outreach and just really focusing on balancing grace and truth. And that certainly is a it's a challenge. I've been meeting a lot of people from a lot of different denominations and it's been just an honor to be able to um, be going and attending this seminary and uh, that's something that uh, has kind of been on the horizon.

I've I've pretty much gotten my first semester uh under the belt, which has been um a really a really good rhythm to uh to get back into. And so there's been that um that's been going on. And um another thing that's going to be happening next year is I submitted an abstract to um it's called the um Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture. and I'm going to be doing presenting a uh doing a presentation on artificial intelligence and uh how that creates an opportunity for pastors and ministry leaders to have. So that's something I'm pretty excited about that uh the symposium will be in February of next year 2026.

So definitely excited for that. Um, and also of course there's just been operations and stuff just working on grants, working on growth and health and uh mission and vision of the church and of course just uh focusing on my own health and my own well-being. Um, I have um been kind of working on losing weight. So I've kind of lost a few pounds here and there. Um, but also focusing just on family and just uh spending time with my kids since I do have five uh children and my uh wonderful wife who uh manages the you know day-to-day operations of the house has just been um it's definitely a lot.

But, you know, being being able to balance things is really what I'm about and what I want to do um when it comes to ministry, to personal life, and even to this podcast is that um I was, like I was mentioning, I was really trying to do one episode every week. And that was [clears throat] bold and ambitious. And uh Lord willing, if that is something to continue to happen, I would definitely like to do it. Um but I'm not sure what that looks like realistically. I know things eb and flow and there will be times where I'll be able to get ahead and other times where I might um not be doing so well.

And so, um I really appreciate those who have been um listening or following along. Whether you're watching the YouTube or Rumble video or you listen to the audio podcast, I'm just really grateful for your support and your um your love in this. And you know, God has really been just challenging me as a pastor. And um you know I've just been a lot of things have just been happening and um we just have been on this journey and I'm I'm glad if you're still listening you know um I will try once a month. I I will even try once a week but you know just uh give me a little bit of grace with that and um that's just certainly um kind of the update on what's been going on.

And I think as this podcast continues, I'd like to also give you updates on uh just things that are happening not only in the church, but in my own personal life. Um I really I think I mentioned in a previous episode, I was able to meet with a a really neat author um from one from this actual podcast, someone who reached out to me and we had a really good um just talk about the ministry of presence and just being there for people. Um, one of the things that I really focus in on a as a pastor and as a man is to be able to um focus on the ministry of presence, right? Focusing intentionally on people and their their life journey. Because when you think about it, we are all on a journey.

And it's my prayer, it's my hope that you're on a spiritual journey to come to know who Jesus Christ is and upon um believing in him and being saved that you're on a journey in Christ. And that's something that I'm uh very passionate about. So, um once again, for those of you who have been faithfully waiting uh the past 6 months for another episode, um I just thank you for waiting and I'm going to do everything I can to post as much as I can um on this um on this podcast and on this journey as well. Um it's just really rewarding to see how nine episodes, how it's grown. You know, when I when I first started this podcast, I was in my my old office um where you had the the background with um all the books.

I still have all my books. It's just the location of my office is very different than it was before. And so I've moved into my new office and uh just all the things that happen, you know, when you want to have a uh growing and a healthy church. See, that's the important thing is that people are healing, people are growing, and people are um just going on their journey in Christ. Um, it's kind of the mission and vision that I do at at OCC is to encourage people to love God and to love others to um to be equipped, right, to know what it means to know scripture and what it means to be a Christian and to engage, right, to engage lives for Christ, focusing on community and focusing also on building up the church as well as building each other.

And so that's kind of I don't want to get uh too preachy in this, but that's kind of what it's all about. And you know that is my uh my first objective, my first priority is certainly to grow this church. But um well actually my first priority would be God and then it would be my marriage and my family and then the ministry. But in any sense, it's really the ability to balance and uh just focus on different things. And so uh with that being said, I want to go ahead.

Let's go ahead and go into Psalm 10. And we're just going to go ahead and just do it as we have done it before. uh where we use the OIA method, observation, interpretation, and application. And that's something that I'm really proud of. You know, um I focus so much on this uh this method because it's it's a method that's used in um Bible studies.

And you know, we observe the text, we read the text, and we interpret it, right? We think what are the underlying lessons here and then how can we apply it to our lives. So, I want to go ahead um we'll open in prayer and then we'll just go ahead and get started. I've got my Bible and my notes here as well. Uh Father God, I just thank you for the use of this technology and um just the ability to continue in this ministry.

Um taking a six-month break is certainly something that um was just it required a lot of patience and the ability to let go, but also to balance all the things that are going on. I'm grateful for all of the people that um are listening or watching this podcast. Um, I just pray that um, if there's anyone that doesn't know your son, Jesus Christ, that they'll be led to the light, that they'll um, believe in your son, the way, the truth, and the life. I pray for everyone who's listening that they may grow in Christ. And also, they may they may be moved to action.

And so, we're just so grateful for your love, your grace, your truth, and who you are as one amazing and awesome God. And so, we just pray that you bless this time as we go through Psalm 10 together. It is in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. And so what I want to do, I have my Bible here.

Um, and I want to go ahead and read Psalm 10. And we're just going to go ahead and break it down and just, uh, take some time together. And, uh, let's go ahead and begin. So, it starts off by saying, "Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

In his arrogance, the wicked man hunts down the weak who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart. He blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride, the wicked man does not seek him. In all his thoughts, there is no room for God.

Right? When it's talking about what's filled with the mind. Um, so in all his thoughts, there is no room for God. Verse five, his ways are always prosperous. Your laws are rejected by him.

He snears at his enemies. He says to himself, "Nothing will ever shake me." He swears, "No one will ever do me harm." His mouth is full of lies and threats. Trouble and evil are under his tongue. He lies in weight near the villages. From ambush, he murders the innocent.

Um, his eyes watch in secret for his victim. Like a lion in cover, he lies in wait. He lies and wait to catch the helpless. He catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. His victims are crushed.

They collapse. They fall under his strength. He says to himself, "God will never notice. God will never notice." And he covers his face and never sees. Arise, Lord.

Lift up your hand, oh God. Do not forget the helpless. Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, "He won't call me to account." But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted. You consider their grief and take it in hand.

The victims commit themselves to you. You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked man. Call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that that would not otherwise be found. The Lord is king forever and ever.

The nations will perish from his land. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted. You encourage them and you listen to their cry. defending the fatherless and the oppressed so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror. And so there you have it.

You have 18 verses from Psalm 10 here. And when you're reading that, there's a lot that that we can unpack here, right? Where um you have the psalmist David here, right? This is known as the um the psalm of the oppressed, right? There's 18 verses in Psalm 10, the cry of the oppressed, right?

when justice seems hidden. And that's not only something that we can read off in this psalm, but it's something that we can see even here today that there's a lot of oppression, there's a lot of evil that happens in the world. And yet there are people um it seems like this is a common theme we see throughout Psalms and even throughout scriptures. It seems like the wicked are prospering and it's this question, why do they prosper? But it's important for us to realize that it is God who has the final say.

He is the righteous judge. He is our strength and our refuge and his justice will prevail. And so when we're reading this, right, we we start off, right? It it we think here this is a lament, right? This is someone who is experiencing that sense of injustice and oppression.

And when when we read that, we think injustice and oppression. Well, for some of us, we may have experienced um a sense of oppression or injustice that has happened within our lives. Um, David is experiencing he expresses frustration with God and what appears to be silence, right? Where it's like, okay, God's not intervening when these these evildoers or evil people are doing things and he is crying out to God for his intervention. And I want to start off um with verse one here, right?

The psalmist is questioning, he's questioning the inaction during suffering. I mean, let's break it down here. Why Lord do you stand far off? Right? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

I think for a lot of us when we have gone through an experience or we've gone through a situation or a circumstance, we may feel that way. We may feel those times where we're like, where are you, God? You know what? I I have this this thing or these this situation that's happening and yet it feels like you're not there. Well, that's how we start off this thing, right?

Um why do you hide yourself, right? And this is a reoccurring theme that we see throughout scripture. I mean, even if you go um a couple psalms over into Psalm 13, there's a very similar question. Um and we're not going completely over Psalm 13, but if you go over to Psalm 13:1, there's a very similar question, right? How long, Lord, will you forget me?

Forever? How long will you hide your face from me? Right? Uh it even goes on, right? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts?

Right? So it's this question um that's happening is where it seems like when we are in these situations when we're in the storms of life or when we're facing a trial or a tribulation it seems like God is not there. Um and that's a reality that we can't really ignore in our in our own story but also the stories of others. Right? So, um, that's a very, uh, powerful question, right?

And and and then it's going on in verse two where it's saying, "In his arrogance, the wicked man hunts down the weak who are caught in the schemes he devises." Right? So, we can see right away that you have this situation, right? He's asking, "Where are you, God? There are these wicked men who are arrogant, who are hunting down those that are weak, right? You want to talk about someone who is evil or someone who is arrogant and how they pray upon those that are weaker than them.

That's something that is um not a good quality that you want to have. But when we see that, that's something that we should um cry out to the Lord or pray to the Lord for God to intervene, right? Um who are caught in the schemes he devises, right? So, we see that kind of language that's happening in here. Um it's this continuation that that we are seeing.

Um we go on then into verses 3 to 5 where it's a description of what this wicked person is doing, right? He boasts about the cravings of his heart, right? Well, what are the cravings that he wants to this urge, this sense where he wants to have more, right? He wants more victims as it were. Um so the wicked are boasting, right?

So it it goes on here about the cravings of his heart. He blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. Right? What horrible language of a wicked kind of person. Um he's saying, you know, I'm I'm desiring to um to hunt down the weak.

I'm I I want I want them to fall under my scheme, as it were, right? Um and then it's saying he blesses the greedy. He's like, "Oh, you know, look at these people who are greedy just like me and or or whatever it is." That is a very um I don't want to say nasty person, but that's a very evil person when we think of that arrogance and we think of what's going on here. Um even in verse four where it's saying in his pride the wicked man does not seek him, right? Um that's and in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Now that's kind of interesting when we're talking about this. Um I want to I want to kind of move on over over here, right? When you think about that, you think about someone who is so wicked and they're um you know sometimes when you talk about this this notion of um meditation, right? Um you hear about this idea of emptying your mind out, right? Which which that is fine, but uh the question that comes up when we think of meditation is what are you filling your mind with, right?

Um as Christians, we should fill our mind with the things of God, right? Now, certainly when we're thinking of um when we're being tested or we're being tempted, we want to empty those kind of thoughts out. So that makes a lot of sense. Um, and I bring this up because when we're reading this verse here, and it's talking about um, in all of his thoughts, there's no room for God, right? You can think of this uh, this mental state that's happening, where someone is filling their mind so much with evil, with wickedness, with hatred, as it were, um, that he doesn't have any other room, right?

How could I possibly have room for God when all I'm thinking about is scheming and hunting down people, blessing, the greeting, the craving for this desire for more, right? Um I don't know if you guys have ever seen that movie. Um I it's um oh man, it's a uh it's a it's like I think it's The Wolf of Wall Street or or no, it's um Gordon Gecko. I'm actually going to pull it up on my computer here real quick. Um it's the Gordon Gecko movie.

um where uh I'm I'm going to butcher it. The name of this movie um let's see here. Oh, it is it's literally called Wall Wall Street, right? Um where Gordon Gecko um it's this guy where he's basically saying that greed is good, right? Where he's talking about like it's it's this good thing.

But when we're thinking about this, like when we're reading this scripture here, that kind of greed, this desire for more evil, that's wrong, right? So, um I'm sorry in this sense Gordon Gecko is actually wrong here. Um but we're thinking about this here. Um having your mind so filled with evil where there's no room for God. And it's kind of a reminder for us when we read this kind of text is what on earth are you filling your mind with?

If is your mind filled with hatred or is it filled with the love of God? Is it filled with the things of God? We can think of uh human depravity or we can even think of how um sometimes our mind is filled so much with anger like I can think about um times where you may meet someone or or I I've met someone who's so angry that they can't do anything else but be angry. Um they can't function in their job or their school or whatever and that's completely filled with that. When we're thinking about this then it's just a consideration.

It's a description of the wicked person, right? That their mind is so filled they have no room for God. But it's also a reminder for us when we think about it what we are going to fill our mind with. It can be very convicting when you think uh maybe I'm not filling my mind up with good things. Well, if that's the case, then let this be an opportunity for you to ask God for ask to ask the Holy Spirit to empty out the bad things or or the sin and to fill your mind with the things of God.

Uh further you can also think of how you open the word of God and how you are filled with the good things. Ask God to bless you to lead and to guide you as you fill your mind with good things. And so I just kind of wanted to just take a moment there and just kind of talk about how that's so important for us when we're thinking about this kind of thing, right? Um and so verse 5, his ways are always prosperous um prosperous. your lies are your laws are rejected by him.

Right? So again, this is a common theme that we see throughout scripture where it looks like the wicked are prospering and we don't understand why. David didn't understand why and certainly for us when we see why is why are the Gordon geckos why are the evil people, right? Why why is it that they're prospering and they're doing so well but yet they're wicked? They're they're evil.

They're doing horrible things. How is that even happening? But um and it's saying here his ways are always prosperous. Your laws are are rejected by him. Right?

It's um this person is rejecting God and rejecting his laws. It actually um also makes me think of um the parable of the um it's the parable of the wicked judge and the persistent widow where it talks about the judge was so um he neither feared God nor respected man. There's obviously there's different translations and variations of that, but basically it's kind of like a double negative as it were. Um he's like, I I have no respect for God, let alone room for God, and I certainly don't respect you either as a person. And that was to show the judge's wickedness.

And so in this case, right, um you have a description of someone who is wicked, who is prospering, right? It seems like everything is going well and yet um it says here he sneers at all his enemies, right? um and he's rejecting the law of God. And so that is a a very specific image that we we can think of even when we think of us as Christians today and and how we are living in the new covenant there are still people that reject God that reject um Jesus Christ that reject scripture. So it it doesn't take much for us to kind of see in the same way people rejected the law and rejected God, there are also people who reject scripture or they reject the Bible or let alone they reject God kind of thing.

And so that's something for us to think about, right? In [snorts] verse six, it says um I'm just going on and on in here, right? Um but what we're seeing here, these verses 3 to 5 is talking about, right? we're seeing essentially from verse 1 to verse 11 is talking about the oppression by the wicked, right? The wicked are oppressing the people of God and it seems like there is um no um intervention by God, right?

And so in these verses 3 to 5 then um it's just talking about um how these wicked are just boasting and they're rejecting God and his authority. They're rejecting the law as well. And there there is a a verse in here that um I think is a very a good verse to turn to um in in moments like this when we're reading about this is um you may know it. It's from Proverbs 16:8. Um or excuse me, it's Proverbs 16:18.

Um and you may know it where it says, "Pride goes before destruction, a hotty spirit before a fall." Right? So pride goes before destruction. Right? We think of this sense of arrogance that I don't need God. I only need myself.

I don't need other people kind of thing. It's a very um I guess I'm using that word. It's a very nasty a very a grotesque type type of imagery that we have in here. And so in that we actually move on into verse six, right? This is where um verse one and verse two is what we call the appeal, right?

Where David is appealing to God. Right? Then we have verses 3 to 5 which is describing the arrogance of the wicked. And now we have the assumption, right? And what do I mean by that?

It's that the wicked person is assuming, right? Um assuming what? That nothing can harm him or nothing can judge him. And here we'll see in here um verse 6 he says to himself nothing will ever shake me. Right?

He is assuming I got this. I I've got a I've got a foundation as it were. Why in the world would would I need God? let alone his word. I've I've got everything I possibly could need.

Right? Um and then he swears no one will ever do me harm. See, this is where he is assuming. This is where he is trusting in himself or in his arrogance and his pride so much that as I was mentioning that proverb, pride goes before destruction. Right?

Um even in verse 7, his mouth is full of lies and threats. Trouble and evil are under his tongue. He lies in wait near the villages from the ambush. He murders the innocent. So it's still talking about this sense where um you know he's continuing to lie and um what he speaks right and the things his words and his actions right are under his tongue right we could also think of how I think it's in proverbs where it mentions that um death and life are in the power of the tongue right and it's certainly a call for us I mean certainly I hope that none of you are wicked like this but consider your tongue and the words that you say to people that They can be lifegiving.

They they can give life or they can give death. Um you know especially when you uh know someone who maybe words um appeal to them a lot more. You can really hurt someone with words much like you can hurt someone physically, mentally, emotionally. And so we have got to be careful of our words and our deeds when we are dealing with people. Now certainly obviously we all have bad days.

We all have our moments where where things happen. I understand that. But it's still important for us to be mindful of the words that we say, right? Um in verse eight then it says he lies um in weight near the villages from the ambush he murders the innocents. Right?

Um people that have no idea, right? You think of an innocent they're they're not aware of what exactly is going on and yet he is taking advantage of them. Um even it goes on his eyes watch in secret for his victims. Right? When we're talking about plotting and scheming, then we have to think that that's a that's an evil person, right?

Um or or or their heart is hardened even when we think about that. Um now we think when we go into verse 9 then um when it's talking about then um verse 9, it actually goes on to say like a lion in cover, he lies in weight. He lies in weight to catch the helpless, right? um he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. Now, that's a very interesting uh description when we're talking about a lion, right?

Um someone that wants to catch their prey, right? Um if you ever watch any uh videos on YouTube or or National Geographic or or whatever, right? Um or or really any sort of predator, right? There's the predator and the the prey, and they're ready to uh snatch um their their victim, as it were, and to just eat them or or devour them, whatever it is. But that's the kind of imagery that's being used to describe um these kind of wicked people, right?

Um like a lion in cover, right? What a sneaky lion that's just hiding along. Um he waits. He lies and helpless. Um he lies and wait to catch the helpless.

He catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. Now, what an interesting description, right? Someone that's going to catch them in their schemes, right? We can read that literally where we think maybe literally they're catching someone in a net, but it can also mean someone that is catching them in their um their deceit, their lies. I actually think a great deal of um a liar.

If you um you may have heard this quote before that, oh what a web we weave when first we practice to deceive, right? Um the web of lies as it were that can catch someone in into the web, but it can also catch you into the web, right? And so that's I mean that's pretty pretty intense kind of language, right? Um going on into uh verse 10 then it says his victims are crushed. They collapse.

They fall under his strength. Right? Now that can describe you know obviously physical violence that happens which is very common especially when we're reading the Psalms. But it also can talk about someone who you know he could bring them to ruin. He can exploit them.

Right? when we're talking about an oppressor and the oppressed that can mean different kind of things. Um, and it's also important for us to realize that um, even nowadays we have predators and we have prey, people that are seeking to devour or seeking to catch someone up in their web of lies or seeking to catch them um, in the net, right? And thinking about that that imagery of the victims who are they're crushed, they collapse, they fall under his strength. What a terrible kind of person, right?

Um or the actions that they do, the wicked actions and and the hardness of their heart. And if you know anybody like that, pray for God. Pray to God to intervene, to soften their heart, to change their ways, but also for justice to be served. Um it goes on in verse 11, then he says to himself, "God will never notice." And he covers his face and never sees. Wow.

So there's a lot to unpack when it comes to that, right? So when I'm talking about how in the assumption in verses 6 to 11, right, we see that he is assuming that he can get off scot-free, right? I actually think a great deal of this idea that crime never pays, right? Or the biblical notion is that you will reap what you sow. And in this case, this kind of wicked person is thinking they're going to get away with it.

Um they're not doing anything wrong. And it's like, yeah, right. I'm not going to get caught. You know, I've caught many victims. I have everything I could have possibly ever wanted.

Why in the world would God intervene? And that's kind of the mindset that we can see, we can observe in this kind of framework here, right? And that's um [gasps] some pretty crazy, right? He is assuming he will get away, right? So, when we're thinking of this Psalm 10, right, David is appealing to God about the wicked, right?

Um, there is the arrogance of the wicked, right? Verses 3 to 5. And then the assumption of the wicked that he's never going to get caught. Once again, going back to that verse six, um, nothing will ever shake me. No, no one will ever do me harm.

And you go all the way over to verse 11, God will never notice. He covers his face and he never sees. Well, that that that's kind of an interesting when we're talking about the face of God, right? Um, and how I think we've previously talked about if the face of God is turned away, um, that was a very bad thing, right? And now it's using this description that, oh, he's just covering his face.

He's never going to see. And so, uh, he never sees what I'm doing. And I think that's that kind of goes back with the sense of the arrogance of this wicked person that he's thinking, well, I've never been caught before, so I'm not going to be caught again. That's kind of the kind of um black and white kind of thinking that they can continue to do their evil. You know, maybe they've done it once, maybe they've done it a hundred times.

We don't know how many victims this um this wicked person um or wicked people, how often they do it, but eventually they will get caught and justice will be served. So, that's something that's very important for us. And so, we're now going to go ahead and go to verses 12 to 18, which is overcoming by the godly. And so this is a very important thing that um you know we're seeing a lot of things that are happening in this psalm and so we start off in verse 12 right where it says arise Lord lift up your hand oh god do not forget the helpless right and we see this kind of pattern that has been happening throughout scripture I want to show you one example here um that happens in it's going to be in psalm it's going to be in the previous psalm psalm 9 verse verse 19, right? Uh very similar.

It's going to say, "Arise, Lord, do not let your mortals triumph. Let the nations be judged in your presence." Now, I always think it's very interesting when there's uh going to be a lot of patterns that are happening um from one one thing to the next, right? From one psalm to the next or one book of the Bible um as well to the next. And so, what we are seeing when we are doing this is um it's this call, right? Uh David is making the appeal again, right?

He's saying um it's it's a plea for God's intervention much like how it was in the beginning right Psalm 10:1 Lord do you stand off why do you hide yourself in times of trouble and now he's going again right when we were talking about the appeal right the appeal to God then we had the arrogance of the wicked we had the assumption of the wicked right now it's the appeal once again right where it's saying arise Lord lift up your hand do not forget the helpless right and that's a very important thing where he's saying, "God, you need to intervene. You need to intervene against these wicked, these evildoers," kind of thing. And so now, what's going to happen here is David is going to present his case before God. And that's a very important thing for us to understand as we're going. So, I want to show you what I mean when he's presenting his case.

This is um the arguments that are made by David to God. So, verse 13, why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, "He won't call me to account, but you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted." Right? So, this is a very important thing that's happening, right? Where the psalmist is actually when he's presenting his case, when he's presenting his arguments, he's actually reminding God of his character.

He's reminding God, hey, this is who you are. You are a good God. You are a just God. And I'm reminding you of who you are. And because I have that much faith and trust in you, even though I am full of doubt, even though I am questioning, I'm still going to place my trust in you.

And and God, you you've got to intervene. Right? And I think of so much of the world that we live in today, much like the world back then, there was evil then and there's evil now. There were people that were there were oppressors um back then in biblical times through I mean even throughout history. And there were those that were oppressed, right?

And so this call asking God say, "Hey, God, you've got to step up and you've got to step into this sense, right? It's this um this call for that, right? And the the argument, the arguments that are being made. You, God, you see the trouble of the afflicted. You know exactly what's going on, right?

You know what's up, and you consider their grief and take it in hand, right?" So verse 13, why does the wicked man revile? He's he's saying he won't call me to account, but you God, you see the trouble in the afflicted, right? Uh verse 14, the victims commit themselves to you. You are the helper of the fatherless, right? You do not abandon your people.

You do not leave them or forsake them. You are always there with them. And that is a very powerful thing because and it's not only good for us to be reminded of the essence of God, but in this sense, you're seeing David reminding God, so to speak. And it's not that God needs to be reminded, but it just goes to show the passion, the passion that David has for these people to no longer be oppressed or to be exploited. Right?

I think of so many people nowadays of how they have this same kind of passion that David has for the oppressed, for those that are helpless, for the poor, for the needy, for the widows, for the I mean, the list goes on and on. And we think of just the systems in which we live in and how there is this call calling out to God to intervene in such situations. Now it's very important for me to just kind of let us know we do not know God's timing. Right? The question of why doesn't God intervene is such a powerful question that has existed through the ages.

We just have to trust in him and know that God will deliver in his timing his own justice. Right? We think of God and the peace that surpasses all understanding. His wisdom that is beyond all human reasoning while his timing is outside of our own comprehension and human understanding. Right?

I something that I tell people all the time. We can barely understand ourselves. How can we even begin to understand other people let alone the mind of God? For the mind of God, his ways are higher than ours. And that's something it is very difficult for us because I think very often we tend to put God in a box.

We tend to think that we know God better than we know ourselves. But the reality is we don't know God very well. We know pieces of who he is and his attributes, but at the end of the day, what God has going for um his plan of redemption, his plan for us, his plans for his life and when he will intervene, that is something that only God can only he knows. And that's something again that's very difficult for us even for a person like me. But it's what God is going for in this kind of stuff.

So, um yeah, I want um you see that, right? Um I want to keep going in verse 15. Break the arm of the wicked, right? Strike them down kind of thing, right? That's a thing that's happened.

Call the evildoer to account. I want you to pay attention to this, right? Call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out. Now, this is a very important thing that's happening, right? Because what's what he's saying is right, strike strike the wicked person down, right?

Okay, I get that. Call the evildoer to give an account, right, for his wickedness. And it's that last part that would not otherwise be found out. Now, this is a very important thing because very often when we think of the world that we live in, we have to think of how we live in this world where people can get away with doing a lot of wickedness in secret, right? we think of um cult leaders or we and all um abuse and violence and all these things that happen in secret.

It reminds me a great deal of there's there's a famous quote and if I don't know the quote very well I apologize in advance but I want you to think of this notion of who you are right car I think it's basically along the lines with character is who you are and what you do when no one is looking it's something to that effect right who you are as a person when no one is looking and it's a good question it's a good thought for us to consider because when you think about it when people are watching what we're doing all the time. Well, there's we we we all want to do a good job in front of our bosses or our teachers or our spouses or our children, whatever. But who you are as a person when doors are closed, when no one is watching you, I I tend to think and and and that a lot of evil happens when no one is watching and no one is going to say anything. And that's a very convicting thing when we're thinking about this specific verse here, when we're talking about this in verse 15, Psalm 10:15 that would not otherwise be found out. This is a very important thing when it comes to people um who are sinning or are doing evil in secret.

Think about it. If you knew you were going to get caught, would you do the wrong thing? Right? Um, for a lot of us, if we're people of integrity or of character or following scripture, following the teachings of Christ, we're not going to do the wrong thing even when people aren't looking. But there are some people when we think of uh the the temptation or the allure of evil.

Well, no one's looking. It's just one time. I can get away with it. That's the kind of mindset that they think of so that they, well, I'll get away with it this one time. And then as we're seeing throughout this psalm, well, you know, I I've I've done violence.

I've, you know, we're talking about um the lion covering and he lies in weight. He lies in weight to catch the helpless. I can do it. No one's going to catch me. Now, we have to think when we're talking about scripture, we obviously didn't have social media or technology like they do today.

Um and people back then could get away with a lot. And I'm that's not to say people can't get away with a lot now. There's a lot of things, a lot of evil that happens in the world today that people get away with. But it's important for us to realize that God can see all of the evil that we do in his eye. That's a very strong and convicting thing for us.

It makes me think I don't want to do any evil. I I don't want to do the wrong thing if God sees it. But for people who don't discern or they don't think um with the spiritual lens in mind or spiritual consideration, they're going to think, well, no one's looking, therefore I can get away with it. And that's not the kind of framework or mindset that we should have when we are living our lives for the Lord. Right?

And so that's kind of an important thing I just wanted to share with you. I just thought it was a very interesting thing um that God will see um the evil that happens, right? And in fact, so much so, um, I want to go into verse 16 here real quick. And I just want to show you another verse. So, let's let's continue in verse 16.

Um, where it goes on to say, "The Lord is king forever and and ever. The nations will perish from his land." Right? Um, now I want to stop right there because you'll see there's actually a connection that's happening in here. Um, I want to turn to Psalm 34:15. And I want to show you a very interesting connection in here.

Um, Psalm 34, and it'll say in here, let's see, 45 37. It's Psalm 34:E uh 15, right? So, listen. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous. His ears are attentive to their cry.

The face of the Lord is against those who do evil to blot out their name from the earth. That's very interesting, right? So, I want you to think about this. When we go back to Psalm 10, I want you to go into Psalm 10:1 where you have the wicked person who's saying, "God will never notice. He covers his face and never sees." But when you go further into Psalm 34:15, that's not the case at all.

Yes, his eyes are on the righteous, right? The favor of God is on the righteous when we think of these things, but that doesn't mean that God cannot see evil, right? When we're thinking of God and he sees what's going on for the good and wicked people. And so that's important for us, right? So much so in verse 16 of Psalm 34, the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

So that's very interesting, right? when his face is against them, it's not that his face is turned, his face is against, right? Those that are doing evil. And that's kind of interesting because when you go back to Psalm 10 11, the guy, whoever it is, the person convinced himself, God's never going to notice the evil that I do. I've gotten away with it so many times.

But it says here, God's face is not covered. And what interesting language we're thinking of, right? Oh, God's just covering his face. He can't possibly see what I'm doing. Right?

We think about that. But God's face is not covered. In fact, God's face is against the wicked. Now, that's a very interesting thing when we're thinking of the theology of the face of God, right? Or the patterns that we see within uh the Psalms here.

So, that I I just thought that was a very interesting thing that I wanted to share with you. Right? The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, right? And his ears are attentive to their cry. It's important to know when we think of those that are oppressed or exploited that God hears their cry.

Especially when we think of those that are part of the family of God, right? Those that are in the fold of the Lord, he hears their cry as well. And so, we have to think of that. Right now, I want to go into verses 17 and 18 here where basically David is he's confident in God. right there.

It's it's known as the assurance um that God will listen and he will bring justice. And you'll see that at the end of Psalm 9 and the end of Psalm 10, there's a pattern that we're going to see here. Verse 17, you hear the desire of the afflicted. You encourage them and you listen to their cry. Defend defending the fatherless and the oppressed so that mere earthly mortals will never strike again terror.

So in Psalm 9 19 and 20, arise Lord, do not let mortals triumph. Let the nations be judged in your presence. Strike them with terror, Lord. Uh let the nations know they are mortal. Now, it's kind of interesting how in both of these psalms, we see this um picturing this language of letting them know that they are mortals, right?

Um and we think of mortals. I mean, we're I'm a mortal. I I think everybody on the earth is immortal. We have a limited amount of time here on the earth. We are given a certain amount of days and we're not immortal by any stretch of the imagination, but yet we have an eternal soul.

And so in this sense, you Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted. Right? Now, that's an interesting one. And I'll go into that in Psalm 145 in just a second. Right?

You encourage them. You listen to their cry. God hears the cry of the oppressed, of those that are exploited and the poor. That's a very common theme that we find throughout scripture, right? Defending the fatherless and the oppressed.

God will have the final say. God is the protector. It's just that he is working on his own timing. That's very important. So that mere earthly mortals will never strike again terror.

And that's essentially what they're doing there. striking terror in the hearts of the helpless of or of the victims, whatever you want to call it in that kind of sense. And when we go back to that Psalm 9, the call was to strike the wicked with terror. Um, let let the nations know they're only mortal. We think about that people may think who the ones who are wicked, they may think they may get away with the evil that they do, but eventually they will reap what they sow.

They will have it coming. justice will be served by the Lord. And that's a very reassuring uh kind of language that we see um throughout scripture. I want to turn to Psalm 145 right now. And this is kind of another one that that pops up.

Um Psalm 145:18. Um I'll start in verse 17. So Psalm 145:17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and he is faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him.

To all who call on him in truth. Verse 19, he fulfills the desires of those who fear him. He hears the cry and saves them. Right? So the Lord being the saving grace.

Now it's just so important as we are considering all of this that it is God and his timing. I can't emphasize that enough. um that you know we may not understand God's divine timing. Um it's certainly it can be difficult for a lot of us to really think about. Um but it's just God is outside of our mindset but he is much higher than our ways.

And so it may be difficult and I know it's difficult even for a person like me to think of God's timing and when he's going to do things but it just is the call for us to trust in him that which is higher than our ways. And so when we think of this um this is just the observation this is just the reading and the u simple rendering of the text. Let us remember this Psalm 10 as the basically the cry of the oppressed, right? When justice seems hidden and we can certainly think about the world that we live in today, how there's there was oppression back then and there's oppression now. The call is for us to pray to God on his divine timing when he will intervene because he will.

The Lord has the final say. And certainly for us, we can pray for those who are oppressed. We can certainly help those that are oppressed. Every single person and every single has a different circumstance or a situation. So how you can help is obviously that is up between you and the Lord and you and your convictions.

But certainly it's important for us to at least pray for those who are exploited, right? To pray for the poor. We are to care for widows and orphans. And that's kind of it can be very convicting for us. And um we are to love people much as God has loved us.

And that's something that um we are all called to do. And so when we think about this once again, David is appealing to the Lord. He is describing the arrogance of the wicked and how the wicked assume that they're just going to get away scot-free when they're not. Um and then of course, David continues to appeal and he pre presents his arguments to the Lord and he is assured right in the end. He is confident that God will listen and bring forth justice.

So that is Psalm 10 and that is a very very uh powerful you know uh psalm for us to go over and we're going to go ahead and switch over to the um our song. Um this song is from Kid in Flight. The title of the song is It All Tumbles Down. And this is a very um a beautiful song. I always try to find a song that is somewhat connected with um what we're going for.

And so I'm going to go ahead and play it and we're going to be right back. So let's go ahead and go. Built a city out of stone. Carve my [singing and music] deeds into the wall. People all [music] shouted my [singing] name.

A world built on [music] pleasure and fame. Life is [singing] a dream and a stage. [music] What's true [singing] can really say choices I've made [music and singing] led to pain. Now I search for a new way. [music] See how it all tumbles down.

What man makes will [singing and music] eventually be ground ash to ash and dust [music] to dust. Nothing to show. Only love can last [singing and music] till we grasp and won't let go. Say son [music and singing] of man is a joke. I found he's my [singing] only hope.

When [music] every way that I plan leads me to where [singing] I began, see how it [music] all tumbles down. What man makes will eventually [music and singing] be ground. Ash to ash and dust to dust. Nothing [music] to show. Only love can last [singing and music] till we grasp and won't let go.

>> [music] >> See how it all tumbles down. [singing] See how it all tumbles down. [music] >> All right. Well, welcome back. And yeah, that was a song by Kid in Flight.

The title of the song is It All Tumbles Down. And there's um some specific lyrics that I want to um kind of share with you as we're um going through this. And one of the the lyrics is, "See how it all tumbles down. What man makes will eventually be ground. Ash to ash, dust to dust.

Nothing to show. Only love can last. Still we grasp and won't let go." and kind of listening to that actually reminds me a great deal of this Psalm 10 that we're going over, right? Where it's talking about um in Psalm 10, it was a lament. It was crying out to God with all of the wickedness that was happening, right?

Uh this sense of pride and injustice and uh arrogance that was happening. And you know, when we think about human systems, right, we think of governments and even us as people, uh we fade away as opposed to what God offers. And uh God offers eternal life through his son Jesus Christ. Um so when we think about it um wickedness and arrogance, it's not going to last. We think of the love that comes from God and we think of the hope that exists from him.

That is what will last, right? And this song is just talking about that lasting significance, that lasting hope and the love of God. And so uh just in that lyric when it's saying only love can last and still we grasp and we won't let go. And how often do we try to grasp on things right our our own pride and our own arrogance when really we need to focus on the love of God right the love that he has for us the hope that exists in him. And so we think about it that human arrogance and injustice well it will inevitably crumble.

And that is an assurance that we have that we see in this Psalm 10, right? When we see the wicked who are seeming to prosper and it seems like they're doing so well, but in reality, it is God that has the final say. And it is God that is everlasting to everlasting. He doesn't change. And that's why we are to seek his love because his love endures forever.

And I want to be a part of that kind of love. And I hope that for you who are listening, um, Kid in Flight, if you're listening to this, I really appreciated the song and listening to it. And I just want you to know that, um, you have wonderful talent, a wonderful God-given gift, and um, thank you for your song in that. But, um, going from this, right, we have to think of trusting in God's love and his justice, his hope, the beautiful things rather than, um, wickedness and evil that that happen from man, right? And so let us be reminded in this is that only what's built on God's lasting love will remain forever.

So let us think of the salvation that exists from him, his love that is enduring forever and just the importance of that. And so we're now going to the part of the show here where we're now in the interpretation part where um the truths that we can draw from this passage or the underlying lessons, right? Um it is the interpretations, right? And the first thing that we can think about is that um many times we may feel forgotten but the reality is it it doesn't mean that you are that it means that God is still going to be there for you even in those moments where you feel separated where you feel abandoned where you feel forgotten right even when God does seem distant he remains aware of who you are he hears your cry and he is aware of the pain the suffering the trials and the tribulations that happen in your very life and that's important important for all of us really to know that God is always there for us, right? And I always think of that famous um verse in scripture, right?

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me. Right? And how powerful is that when we think of these kind of things, right? I I want us to turn to Isaiah chapter 49 here. And I want to show you a verse that um kind of a kind of an interesting verse.

Uh it's going to be from Psalm um excuse me, from Psalm um from Isaiah 49:15, right? Where it's talking about the restoration of of Israel. Um I I'll just read from verse 13 here. Shout for joy, you heavens. Rejoice, you earth.

Burst into song, you mountains. for the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. Right? Look at what we're just talking about. And then in verse 14, but Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me.

The Lord has forgotten me." And how often do we kind of say that kind of language? Now, this is kind of an interesting verse, but think about this. Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has bore? Though she may forget, I will not forget you. Wow.

Right? [laughter] They'll and and you think of a bond between a mother and a child. That's something that should should never happen. Forgetting their own child or forgetting their own baby. But yet, even if that does happen, God saying, "Even in that event, I'm not going to forget you." Wow.

[laughter] Right. And and I I think of my own wife and and and the the the five children that I have. Of course, my wife doesn't forget my own children, but certainly it's it's that beautiful intimate bond that we can see in in well we can experience I mean if you're a mother um but also something that is a beautiful imagery of a mother and their child bonding together right and even in that event right though she may forget I will not forget you. So something that's even more powerful than the bonding between a mother and their child. That's a very powerful imagery.

And we think about this that um in in those um corresponding verses, right? Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me." Uh the Lord has forgotten me. And we have to think that even in our own context, in our own walk with the Lord or our own spiritual journey, there are times and moments where we may feel forgotten. We may feel forsaken. We may even feel abandoned.

But just think of that kind of imagery, a mother and and and their child, that bond that they have that something that is very beautiful. I I would even say something that is uh almost sacred, right? Something that is absolutely remarkable, something that is so intimate between the two parties. But yet God has something that's even more powerful than that. Is just a remarkable um definition that that we can we can read in scripture, right?

Though she may forget, right? She may forget her own child. I will not forget who you are. Wow. That is absolutely remarkable.

Right. Um the second verse then that I want to turn to um is going to be in a chapter of the Bible that I think a lot of us really overlook. It's it's considered to be one of the most neglected um books of the Bible entirely. It's going to be from Oadiah, right? Um that's when you know when's the last time you've heard a a sermon series on Oadiah?

you know, I mean, that's a it's a short book of the Bible. Um, but in Oadiah 1, uh, 3-4, right? Um, where it says here, um, the pride of your heart has deceived you. You, um, you who live in the, uh, in the cliffs of the rocks and make your home in the heights, who say to yourself, "Who can bring me down to the ground? Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down.

declares the Lord. Right? So, this is obviously from um Oadiah's vision here, but it's it's very similar when we're talking about the second point, which is o um excuse me, which is arrogance blinds us to reality, right? Pride becomes before the fall when we were talking about the context of Psalm um Psalm 10 where it was talking about in uh Psalm 10:4, in his pride, the wicked man does not seek him, does not seek God. in all his thoughts there's no room for him because his mind is so filled with wickedness and schemes and anger and deceit and lies.

We think about that. And so in the same way with what we're seeing in in Obadiah the pride has deceived him literally has blinded them. And so we have to think that um pride can it can convince an oppressor or someone who's doing wickedness um that they're untouchable, right? Just like when I we've been talking about this entire thing where um he's desiring this this wicked person is desiring to do more evil where it's it's almost like it becomes an addiction as it were, right? They're becoming obsessed as it were with doing the wrong thing.

And so in this it's blinding them to what reality really is. That you may think you may get away with evil. you may think you can get away with uh doing the wrong thing, but the reality is God recognizes um the evil that you do. And so that's kind of a a very important thing for us to recognize that may we never be um blinded by arrogance, right? Uh you know, the first point that I I'm mentioning is that God's always there for us.

The second thing is may you never be blinded to arrogance because arrogance can blind you, right? And that's that's some heavy stuff right there, you know, when we're talking about this. Um, now the the next point is going to be is that God can see hidden injustices, right? And I I want to repeat that that God can clearly see hidden injustices, right? when we've been talking about um this notion of people thinking they can get away with evil, but they're not going to because God sees it, right?

That that's an important thing and um that can be a very convicting thing for a lot of us when thinking, well, God can see all the evil things that I do. Absolutely. But that's a call for you to do the right thing, right? It's it's a call for you to be a person, a man, a woman, whatever, to be a person of integrity and a person of character. Doing the right thing when nobody is watching.

Doing the right thing even when you get when you can get away with it, right? Um I know my my father many years ago when I was a kid, um there was a guy that dropped his wallet. This was like when I was like 9 10 years old and my dad and I, we were traveling. We were on a trip and a gentleman dropped his wallet and you could clearly see there was a lot of cash in there. And my dad asked me, "Well, what are you going to do?" And I was like, "What do you mean?" He dropped his wallet.

He's like, "Well, are you going to take the money or are you going to turn it in?" And I was like, "Uh," my dad obviously, you know, younger guy and, you know, at at the time I was a child. Um, I was like, "Well, we we got to turn it in. We have to we have to do the right thing." But I know in that kind of moment, there are people who they'll see a dropped wallet and they'll take the money. And that would be stealing in that sense. Now granted, I I'm not talking about the the I understand people need money.

I get that, you know, and and sometimes people are straddled for cash. I understand that. But at the end of the day, it's still doing the wrong thing by stealing cash out of a wallet. And so my dad had me, you know, my dad and I, we walked over to the clerk and and gave the wallet. And I don't know what ever happened to it.

Hopefully the guy found his wallet with all of his cash just sticking out of it. Um, but in any case, that's an example, right, of of my own father who was teaching me to do the right thing when no one was watching, where very easily someone could have been like, eh, I need the money and just taken it, but that would be doing the wrong thing. And so, when we're talking about character and these hidden injustices, right, the that God sees those hidden injustices and nothing can escape his um his sight, right? Um, and we have to think that God is the divine judge. Um, and so I want to turn into um turn to Hebrews chapter 4.

It's verse uh 13. Let's see here. And I'll just go from verse 12. You may know Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God is alive.

Um, I know it as living and active, but it says um, in the NIV, alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Right? We may know that one.

It's a very beautiful verse. And verse 13, nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Right? We're going to give an account to God.

So God can even see the hidden things. And that's an important thing that nothing is hidden from the eyes of God. Right? Um that is a very convicting thing for sure. Um but it's important for us do the right thing you know let your heart be transformed right obviously come to know Jesus grow in him right be moved to do the right thing every single time.

Um nobody's perfect but certainly your heart to become like the Lord and let God transform you. That's something that should be there. I want to also go to our next point here which is um I have faith recalls past faithful to face current struggles. In other words, what that means is it's remembering God's interventions, right? Remember how God has worked in and through your life before and to trust him with justice.

Now, this is a common thing that we see within scripture that we look to the past. We look to scripture. How has God worked with his people in scripture? In our own context is how has God worked in your life in ways you you may not have seen until after the fact. Right?

There's the famous saying that hindsight is 2020 vision. Right? We think about it. We may not know how God has been working in our lives, but he works in our lives in ways that we can't even comprehend. And that's a very powerful thing is that we look at how God has intervened, how he has worked in and through our lives, right?

And that helps us understand that God continues to work in our lives in the present day and he will continue to work in our lives in the future. Knowing this is knowing that God will intervene in his own divine timing. And that's important for us to recognize and for us to understand. And so in Psalm 77 um verses 11-2 it says, "I will remember the deeds of the Lord. Yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds." Right? There's that word meditate again, right? Um now I mentioned earlier the the notion of meditation is something that uh can be very um tricky for some Christians, but it's important especially when we see it in scripture is what you're meditating on. Right? Right?

When we're talking about the emptying of ourselves and whatnot, well, certainly we need to empty ourselves of of evil thoughts, right? Certainly. But also filling our minds with the things of God is something that is so powerful for us. Uh we can call this Christian meditation or even biblical meditation where we focus on the word of God or asking God how he is to work in and through us. And certainly when we hear the voice of God, the guiding of the Holy Spirit, making sure it is consistent with scripture much as we are called to test the spirits, right?

And so let us remember the deeds of the Lord, right? What God has done in our lives in the past, how God is currently working in our lives and knowing that God will continue to work in our lives in the future. He has worked in my life. He will work in your life. He's worked in so many other people's lives.

And that's a testimony of how of who God is and just how he is. Right? So that's absolutely amazing. And so these are the um interpretations, right? So to remember God's how God has worked in and through you will help you know what God's going to do that he's consistent.

And we now move to the application point. Right? So the interpretation is the lessons that we can learn. Right? Well, we finally move to this idea of the application, which is how can we live this out?

And I think that's a very good question here, right? Um, how can we live out these lessons that we find from Psalm 10? So, the first thing that pops up is that when we are um when we are in need or in desperation, we need to turn to the Lord. Like that's the first and foremost thing, right? Um when we need to lament or cry out to the Lord, by all means do it.

Express your honest lament to God, right? Um don't hide your frustrations, right? We have human emotions, right? And the last thing you want to do is bottle it up, right? Ex whenever you are frustrated or you're angry or you're seeing injustice, come before the Lord.

Right? I think very often when we are going through a trial or tribul tribulation, we tend to go to the Lord. But what about in other times, right? We think of the highs and the lows and the hills and the valleys of our own life experience. How often do you go to the Lord when you're seeing an injustice happen, right?

How many of you go to the Lord when you see someone who's being exploited or you read about it in the news? You know, if if you um read on the news a tragedy that happened, pray for the the victims of the tragedy or pray for those that are being oppressed and maybe what you can do is um write down events that have happened and who you can pray for, right? And so share your struggles and your feelings with the Lord even when you feel abandoned, when you feel frustrated. You know, I always encourage people Psalms is such a powerful book of emotions, human raw emotions, right? The unfiltered emotions that um that people experience when we think about it that you know, David was going through so much.

He was on the run. Sometimes he was uh remembering past victories. Sometimes he was frustrated. Right? just all these kind of emotions and and we have to think to ourselves that's in scripture for us to benefit from, for us to learn and to grow from.

None of us are perfect. And certainly when we are frustrated or abandoned or angry or sad or we're on cloud nine, right, when we're happy, whatever it is, we can come before the Lord. We can thank God for all that he's done for us. We can ask God, right? Um there there's so many ways that we can pray and communicate with the Lord, right?

You think about this with any sort of relationship, though, you know, I don't just go to my spouse on all of the good things that have happened in my life and leave it at that. There are times when I I get stressed out or even I get frustrated and I I can talk to my wife who's there for me and she can do the same. Right? That's having a relationship is be know recognizing the sense that you are human, right? But you're you work together, right?

Two humans working together in any friendship or any relationship. But when it comes to God, you still can use your your raw emotions and your humanity and offer it before the Lord. Asking God for peace, asking God for clarity, asking God I mean literally in in this in this Psalm 10, he's saying in in in Psalm 10:12, arise Lord, lift up your hand. He's basically saying, God, do what you're going to do. And that's something that we see all these kind of patterns that we can do when it comes to that.

Um I want to turn to Psalm um it's Psalm 62 in here which is a another one. Um Psalm 62:8. Um I'll even I'll even go a couple verses before, right? Uh in verse 5, my soul finds rest in God. My hope comes from him.

Truly, he is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress. I will not be shaken. Verse seven, my salvation and my honor depend on God. He is my mighty rock and refuge.

Verse 8, this is the one. Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. We can come to God no matter what it is we're going through, what we have been through, or what we will go through. Go to the Lord.

Now, here's the thing. We may not understand what it is we're going through. We are imperfect people that live in an imperfect world. And God has given us this free will to choose good or evil, right? God's not going to force himself on us.

And so knowing this, we can still come to the Lord in whatever state you are in. And to me, that's a great encouragement to to think about, right? And so, think of that Psalm 62. That's such an interesting um one when we're thinking about the connection um within there. Um the the second thing the application and how we can live this out is to reject pride right to reject this sense of self-reliance and I think that's something that is very important for us.

So when we're thinking about that, right, um we need to recognize that we are to rely fully on God, right? I think of there's a there's a famous acronym, right, frog, right? Fully rely on God, right? And we are certainly a needy people. We are to depend on God.

And it is recognizing that we can only do so much in our strength, but it is God that has strength that is far beyond any human strength. Right? We think of all the athletes of the world and right uh the strength of humans and what they can do but God's strength is far beyond that right and so we have to depend on God right knowing that our strength alone it can't sustain us much like how God can sustain us right um I think I've mentioned it before in this podcast but I'll mention it again um there's the triune God right the creator redeemer and sustainer right that god is the creator Christ is the redeemer and the holy spirit is the the sustainer, right? And so um the Lord our God, our triune God is going to sustain us, right? It's um he is full of sustenance, right?

And I think that's something that is is actually very beautiful knowing that um we have human strength. We certainly do. And the the the um we think of human potential that exists. There's a lot that humans can do, but when it comes to God, he can help us far more than we can help ourselves, right? Um that there's strength, there's power, there's wisdom, there's insight that is far beyond our own human comprehension and understanding.

And I think that's something we can't ever forget. And I think very often we we end up relying on our own um our own merit, our own mind. But really there's so much insight and wisdom that God can give to us that it's um truly it it actually helps us to understand that God is far beyond us. Right? And and I I I tell this to um pastors and other people that I talk to that God is far beyond any of our understanding even even the way we look at God.

Right? And it just goes to show the greatness of God, how big he is. and and it can scare us at time because we tend to put God into a box very often, but it's okay. It's okay to know that God doesn't fit into our boxes, right? When we think about that, um I'm going to turn real quick to the book of Micah.

It's going to be chapter 6:8. This is one. Um this is a famous one you may know of. Um he has shown you, oh mortal, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

That's a very um famous verse when it's talking about um walking humbly with the Lord, right? Recognizing that his power is far greater than yours. His wisdom is far beyond our human wisdom and understanding. And that's okay, right? Because there's something that's far greater than us in this life.

Look, we're limited. Our days are numbered in the earth, but we trust in the living God whose days are limitless. His power is far beyond our comprehension. And so that actually leads into the next point then is to trust God's timing and justice because God is beyond our understanding. His timing is beyond our understanding as well as well as his justice.

We think for a moment of the love that God has for us. I think of myself and how limited I am as a human being and how, you know, I'm not as patient as God and neither are you. Right? When we think about that, uh we think of we live in this culture where um when we we have uh what is it? Next day delivery and some areas they have drones that are delivering Amazon packages and all these things that are happening.

But when we really think about it, the hand of God and his timing, he knows what's up. He knows what's best for us, right? And so trusting in him, you know, we have to really think to ourselves trusting in God and him dealing the justice is a very challenging thing. I admit I mean there's many of us who would like to take justice for ourselves, right? In fact, in scripture, there's actually something that that's always an interesting one.

Um it's going to be in verse uh in the ch in Romans Romans chapter uh 12 verse 19 here. Um I'll even start in verse 17. Right? Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful um to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Right? And verse 19, the one I wanted to show you. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, it is mine to avenge.

I will repay, says the Lord. Wow. And it even goes on verse verse 20, on the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he's thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, uh, you will keep burning coals on his head.

And then verse 21, do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. That is such a challenge. Are you kidding me? Like when you hear these kind of verses, it's like, oh, leave justice for God because he has the final say. Now granted, another another thing we can factor in is and um if we think of our own laws and country um laws on the books in in our own country, hopefully the law is favorable, right?

when we think of justice being served to wicked doers. But even at that, when we think of a nation or a country or a state and their own laws, not all laws are um well, godly, let's just say. And it's just important for us that even when we're thinking well there's laws to be followed in the government and there in in this country in this place that we live and that's true and justice can be served in that capacity but it's still important for us to not put our trust in government but to put our trust in God. And so that's kind of another thing I just want to add in that. Um so let us not take revenge but trust in God who will he is the good judge right?

Let's not be like that wicked judge. And and and when I mentioned earlier the idea of the wicked judge and the persistent widow. It is to show that human judges and human governments even are well they're limited compared to the limitlessness of God. And so finally the fifth one then is to um think about or recall God's faithfulness often. Right?

And again, remember the moments where God has intervened in your life. And I think that's one of the most powerful things. Um, go back in your own experience and think of how God has worked in and through your life to remember, right? To remember God's faithfulness is something that is so so good for us. Um, never forget what God has done for you, right?

that God works in and through all of us and that um that God is with us. He doesn't abandon us. I think that's we can't ever forget that. I want to turn now to um I'm getting lost in scripture here. Uh lamentations, right?

I tend to skip that one on accident here. Um, but let let how God has worked in and through people, in and through you and in and through scripture to help deepen your trust in the Lord. I know that helps me. Hearing the testimony of people and how God has worked in and through him, reading scripture and how God heals people, how God intervenes is a very powerful thing. That's why it's such an encouragement to read scripture, but also an encouragement for you to meet other Christians and to hear their testimony and how God's worked in their life.

Uh, Lamentations 3 21- 23. Yet I yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope. Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed. For his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.

Great is your faithfulness. Verse 24, I say to myself, the Lord is my portion. Therefore, I will wait for him. Right? We think about that and this is a very interesting piece, right?

That um we have to remember great is the faithfulness of God, right? Remember how God has worked in your life. And if you don't have any experiences, like if you're a brand new Christian, that's okay. That's why it's important for you to talk with other Christians just like as it's important for you to read scripture and to see how God works um in and through people. That's such an important thing.

And as we think about all of this, some questions I want you to think about is um have has there been a moment where God has been distant in your life or you felt that God has been distant in your life? Maybe it was during an injustice. Maybe it was during a pain. Maybe you saw something or experienced something in your own life. That's a question for you to reflect on.

Another thing is, how has pride impacted your relationship with God or others? Certainly, we're human beings and there's moments where we've experienced pride, where we felt better than other people, where we felt arrogant. And maybe think about that or maybe if you've if you've never experienced that before, you can think of how that has affected other people. Um maybe you've seen pride get the better of someone else. That's something else for you to reflect on.

Also, um how are you trusting in God to resolve an injustice? Right? That's another question for you to think of. And then finally, how can um past experiences, right, past experiences that you've had with the Lord or um how God has worked in and through people, how can that help you in your walk with the Lord? These are questions for you to think of and I have them in the show notes here that you can download on the PDF um to for for you for you to reflect on.

And as we conclude for this um this episode 10 of the Pastor Patrick podcast, I just want to say that this Psalm 10 is just a really it's a it's a heavier one when we're talking about the oppressed and the wicked, but it's important for us to know that God has the final say. Let us remember as we conclude from today that there is there on this imperfect world until we um until we enter in the new heaven and the new earth, right? Until we are in heaven, so to speak, um it's important for us to know that we live in an imperfect world with imperfect people. And certainly may may you when you experience um wickedness, whether you are oppressed or you go through a trial or tribulation, may you seek the Lord. Pray for the heart of the oppressor that their heart will be changed.

And if you are one who is oppressing, may your heart be changed. And let us consider that um the arrogance of the wicked and how they can assume that they're going to get away with evil when they're not. Let us also um continue to seek God in times of injustice and in times of oppression whether you are experiencing that oppression or whether um you are seeing that whether that's the world or locally. And may you come to God and trust in him and his divine timing. And may you be assured that God hears the cry of the poor, the cry of the oppressed, and our own cries for help, for divine intervention, and for justice.

So, my name is Patrick Dailyaly. This is the Pastor Patrick podcast, and I want to thank you for tuning in and watching or listening to the Pastor Patrick podcast. You can check our videos out on YouTube and Rumble, or uh listen to any of our other episodes. um the audio recording of this version. Thank you so much and God bless you.