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Psalm 10

The people of Jerusalem gather early in the morning at the temple on Mount Zion.  Among them are many of the poor, some of the middle-class, and perhaps even a few of the wealthy.  They've gathered for morning worship and to receive encouragement in their walk with their covenant God.  They want to hear about the God Who cares, not only about great issues, but even about their little concerns, their seemingly small troubles, and about the righteousness or unrighteousness of the merchants, about the kind or cruel treatment received from the magistrates - about daily living in general.  They've come to be led in prayer to their merciful God and to join together in praise and thanksgiving to Him.

So the worship leader, knowing many of their needs and concerns, brings out for them this psalm - a song of prayer, praise, remembrance, and thanksgiving.

He begins by singing, "Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?"  The people can respond knowingly to that, because sometimes it does seem like the Lord has forgotten their individual concerns.

Then the second line just amplifies that thought.  They sing, "Why do You hide in times of trouble?"  Sometimes that's exactly the way we feel too – as if the Lord were hiding from us just when we need Him most.

Then the leader mentions one kind of circumstance that brings on such feelings.  It's when, "The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor."  So the leader sings a prayer about these hard-hearted evil doers.  He says, "Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised!"  He goes on to describe the wicked person as boasting of how he's going to "get" the poor and about how careless he is about God.  He even describes him as boasting about his seeming prosperity despite what he does to the poor, about his unkind and cruel words, and about his deceit and oppression.

Then, continuing to lead the people in a song they understand only too well, the leader describes how the godless and cruel oppressors go about their oppression in secret, like preying animals, and how they're entirely persuaded that God doesn't concern Himself with what they're doing.

But then the leader turns back to the people themselves, and leads them to prayerfully sing, "Arise, O Lord!!  O God, lift up Your hand.  Do not forget the humble!"  Then, (paraphrasing here) he says, "Don't let them mock Your care, Lord!!"  Finally, he leads the people to express confidence when he sings, "But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief, to repay it by Your hand!  The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless!"  It's exactly what the people (and we)  need to know!

Finally, knowing that the Lord truly does care, the leader appropriately turns to praise.  He sings, "The Lord is King forever and ever; the nations have perished out of His land.  Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more."

As the people repeat each line their hearts grow more and more confident, more and more joyful in the Lord, more and more sure that they have a God Who actually cares.

How about you?  Can you slowly read this song, slowly gain confidence, and then can you finally come to the conclusion that HE CARES ABOUT YOU?

Well I really don't know what to say about this one.

In verse 17 NCV it says " Lord you have heard what the poor people want. Do what they ask, and listen to them.
18 Protect the orphans and put an end to suffering so they will no longer be afraid of evil people."

In the NCV at the top of this Psalm it says "A complaint about evil people."

It seems strange that King David would write a song that is a complaint.

Many of the psalms were written about essentially private matters in David's life, and we often might wonder why he included them in the community worship.  But he was also very aware that many of the Lord's people experienced similar things, so they reflected their very real experiences.  Not only so, but the Lord Himself doesn't change, and David's relationship to Him was theirs as well.  He still hasn't changed, so they apply in our lives as well.

 "The Lord inhabits the praises of His people"

the leader knew this but not all the people did so he needed to show them the "power in praise"...Amen.

Somehow this psalm makes me think of Moses when they were down in the valley they were losing the battle.
"Moses hands became heavy , so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun." Exodus 17:11-12

When they lifted up Moses hands towards God in an act of praise, they won the battle.

"So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
and Moses built an altar and called the name, "The Lord is My Banner."
Exodus 17:13,15.

It really is quite wonderful how the Lord speaks differently to us all re each of these psalms.  This one seems to speak to me of Keeping the faith and believing that through Praising God you will eventually be given the victory over all that oppresses. "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you......If you can meet with triumph and disaster and greet those two imposters just the same...Yours is the earth and everything that's in it, and - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!"....These words of Kipling's might have been spoken by the leaders Al., as they urged people onwards and upwards!!!

"You will prepare their hearts"....Yes through the power of Praise!

Thank-you Pastor Al. Yes this song does give me confidence and I do know He cares for me.

I have a flu virus forgive if this seems drawn out, my temperature has been through the roof for 3 days...However, Praise is the key and it is uplifting to pop in here and be reminded of what King David and the leaders (elders) did in trying moments. Amen!

Jenny 

Jenny - that poem of Kipling's has been a fovorite of mine for many years.  Thankfully, God is our sufficiency, and we will not fail - He holds His hand up, as it were, until the battle is won.

I pray you'll soon mend from that terrible virus.