Psalms 10:1-18 - Homilies By C. Short

The righteous God.

The one grand thought which runs through this psalm and most of the Old Testament literature is that God, notwithstanding all appearances to the contrary, is a Righteous Being, and that all wickedness must be punished and overthrown. In this psalm two principal thoughts are vividly pictured forth, and a prayer.

I. A COMPLAINT TO GOD OF THE DARING ATHEISM OF THE WICKED . ( Psalms 10:1-11 .)

1 . He imagines himself to be above all restraint , human or Divine. ( Psalms 10:2-4 .) Proud. boastful, blessing the robber, despising God, blind. "He requireth not; there is no God."

2 . He feels safe and prosperous. ( Psalms 10:5 , Psalms 10:6 .)

3 . His ways are full of deceit and violence. ( Psalms 10:7 , Psalms 10:8 .) This is a description of the wicked man in the very fulness and monstrosity of his evil power.

4 . The cruelty of his ways. ( Psalms 10:9-11 .) He is compared to a ravenous lion. His ferocity is entirely unrestrained, because either there is no God or he will not concern himself with the fate of the oppressed and afflicted.

II. A PRAYER FOR GOD 'S INTERPOSITION . ( Psalms 10:12-15 .)

1 . Founded upon the contrast between the thoughts of the wicked and the actual conduct of God. ( Psalms 10:12-14 .)

2 . And upon the expectations of the helpless and the forlorn. ( Psalms 10:14 .) "The helpless leaveth it to thee, and thou wilt not disappoint him."

3 . Wickedness can be destroyed and made to disappear from amongst men. ( Psalms 10:15 .)

III. THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH . The psalmist looks upon God's work of comfort and salvation as being quite as certain in the future as if they had been works done in the past.

1 . Jehovah is King for ever and ever. ( Psalms 10:16 .) Nothing can overturn his eternal will.

2 . The future triumph of God ' s righteousness is regarded as already com pleted. ( Psalms 10:17 , Psalms 10:18 .) The beginning of the work which he has seen gives him faith that it will be perfected. "Perfect that which concerneth us." "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ."—S.