O God, Why Do You Hide Yourself? (Verse 1)

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1, KJV)

Although Psalm 10 has no superscription identifying its author, its close connection with Psalm 9 makes it entirely reasonable to regard it as a psalm of David.

As the psalmist suffers in the midst of trouble and sees no apparent help from God, he feels as though God is standing far away and hiding Himself. Therefore, looking beyond his own suffering, he cries out with anguish and earnest pleading, asking why God remains silent in the face of injustice.

In the psalmist’s cry, we can see Jesus, who appeared to have been forsaken by God.

Although Jesus was without sin, He was scourged by wicked men, led away, nailed to the cross, mocked, and insulted. Yet even in the midst of His suffering, God seemed to stand far away in silence.

In the midst of that apparent silence of God, the wicked grew bold in committing evil.

The Pride of the Wicked Who Say There Is No God (Verses 2–6)

“The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.” (Psalm 10:2–3, KJV)

Pride is a defining characteristic of the wicked. In their pride, they despise God and, rather than being ashamed of the desires of their hearts, they boast about them. Those who disregard God have no hesitation in looking down upon the poor and powerless, using their strength to oppress and torment them.

Even the devil knows God and trembles before Him. This shows that the wicked are not necessarily ignorant of God’s existence. Rather, they erase God from their knowledge and their hearts. When they make and carry out their plans, they give no thought to God. Therefore, even when they harm others, they do not fear God’s judgment. Thus the psalmist says:

“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” (Psalm 10:4, KJV)

The psalmist then explains why the wicked are so proud.

“His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.” (Psalm 10:5–6, KJV)

The wicked see that their ways appear secure and prosperous. What they fail to see, however, is God’s judgment. Therefore, they despise all their enemies. They mistakenly believe that their prosperity will never end but will continue without interruption.

The Violence and Delusion of Those Who Prey on the Weak Like Lions (Verses 7–11)

Such pride does not remain hidden in the heart but reveals itself through the mouth.

“His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.” (Psalm 10:7, KJV)

The pride and greed within the hearts of the wicked are revealed through their words. Their mouths are filled with curses, deceit, and violence.

The apostle Paul, when describing human sinfulness in Romans 3:14, says, “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” This helps us recognize that the wicked described in Psalm 10 do not merely represent one particular individual but reveal the universal condition of humanity under sin.

Without the grace of God, we too cannot escape the evil of the wicked.

The wicked seek out those who are weaker than themselves, exploiting and tormenting them for their own gain. Therefore, the psalmist says:

“He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.” (Psalm 10:8–10, KJV)

Like a lion lying in wait for its prey, the wicked hide in secret places and watch for the vulnerable. They use their strength to bring down the powerless and sacrifice others for their own benefit. Yet they believe that God will never see what they are doing.

“He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.” (Psalm 10:11, KJV)

Ecclesiastes 8:11 says:

“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”

God does not immediately judge the wicked because He extends grace to them, giving them an opportunity to repent. Yet the wicked instead use that grace as an opportunity to continue sinning.

God Who Sees Everything Even in His Silence (Verses 12–14)

The psalmist now pleads with God to arise and deliver the poor from the hands of the wicked.

“Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.” (Psalm 10:12–13, KJV)

The psalmist then explains why he puts his trust in God.

“Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.” (Psalm 10:14, KJV)

The psalmist realizes that God, who seemed to be standing far away and hiding Himself, had in fact been watching everything. He confesses that God has seen not only the deeds of the wicked but also the suffering and anguish of the poor and lonely who have been oppressed by them.

And because he believes that God will judge all evil and avenge those who have suffered injustice, the lonely and afflicted psalmist declares his trust in God.

At the moment Jesus died on the cross, it appeared as though evil had triumphed. Yet God saw all the sufferings of Jesus, and through Christ He crushed the head of the enemy. Then He raised Jesus from the dead and gave Him victory.

Thus the psalmist sings of God as One who does not stand far away, hiding Himself and ignoring the suffering of those who are lonely like orphans, but who personally comes to their aid.

The Righteous Judgment and Hope of God, the Eternal King (Verses 15–18)

“Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none. The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.” (Psalm 10:15–16, KJV)

The psalmist pleads with God, who is King forever and ever, to break the arm of the wicked. Here, the arm symbolizes strength and power. In other words, he asks God to break the power that the wicked use to oppress others and to search out all their evil until none remains unjudged.

No matter how powerful the wicked may appear, they are nothing before God, the eternal King. The psalmist knows that no nation, however mighty, can stand before God’s judgment, and that the eternal King is the One who destroys wicked nations.

Because the psalmist knows God’s power and eternal kingship, he does not lose hope even in the midst of suffering.

“LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.” (Psalm 10:17–18, KJV)

God not only hears the desires of the humble but also personally prepares and establishes their hearts. Even when their hearts are shaken and filled with fear under the oppression of the wicked, God upholds their hearts and leads them to trust in Him. Thus, when they cry out to God, He inclines His ear to their petitions and ultimately executes righteous judgment on behalf of the fatherless and the oppressed.

Blessed are the humble—those who recognize that they have no power to save themselves and depend entirely upon God. God hears their desires, strengthens their hearts, and ultimately delivers them from the hands of the wicked who oppress them through His righteous judgment.

At the beginning, the psalmist felt as though God were standing far away and hiding Himself. But in the end, he confesses that God sees everything and reigns forever as King.

God never forgets His people.