IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Hear the Desire of the Afflicted

Date: Feb. 15, 2021

Passage

Psalm 10:1-18

Why Do You Hide Yourself?

10:1   Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?
    Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2   In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
    let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
3   For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
    and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.
4   In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him;
    all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
5   His ways prosper at all times;
    your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
    as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
6   He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
    throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
7   His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
    under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
8   He sits in ambush in the villages;
    in hiding places he murders the innocent.
  His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9     he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
  he lurks that he may seize the poor;
    he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
10   The helpless are crushed, sink down,
    and fall by his might.
11   He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
    he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
12   Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;
    forget not the afflicted.
13   Why does the wicked renounce God
    and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
14   But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
    that you may take it into your hands;
  to you the helpless commits himself;
    you have been the helper of the fatherless.
15   Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
    call his wickedness to account till you find none.
16   The LORD is king forever and ever;
    the nations perish from his land.
17   O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18   to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
    so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: Psalm 10:17

O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear

1. In his arrogance and pride (1-11)

The psalmist cries out to God, 'Why, Lord, do you stand far off?' because injustice prevails but God seems silent. The wicked man in his arrogance and pride strikes the weak and innocent, and speaks blasphemies, but his ways seem to be always prosperous. Like the psalmist, many people wonder and question about injustice in the world and God's seeming silence.

2. Call the evildoer to account (12-18)

The psalmist petitions God to act for the righteous against the wicked man. He prays that God who is the helper of the helpless may see the trouble and grief of the helpless and break the arm of the wicked man. In verses 16-18, the psalmist trusts in God who is King forever, hears the cry of the afflicted, and brings about justice to the helpless. God delays his justice patiently, 'not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance' (1Pe 3:9). Yet the day God calls evildoers to account will come. So, with patience, we should trust in God, and encourage and pray for God's people.

Prayer: Lord, we trust in you, our eternal King, and we ask you to break the arm of Satan and save the helpless.

One Word: Defend the helpless

Daily Bread

Remember Who God is

Psalm 77:1-20

Key Verse: 77:11

I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

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