Why Doesn’t God Intervene?

Psalms 10:1-18

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

With t5his Psalm, David addresses a question that nearly everyone asks.  Why does God allow wickedness to get so bad?  Why doesn’t he just stop things and destroy the sinners?  He then looks at the attitude of the Wicked. 

“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)

Like any bully showing off his strength by beating up somebody weaker, the wicked take advantage of the poor because they can’t hire lawyers and security forces to protect themselves.    David asks that they be caught by the very schemes they have used, because they brag about how they have been able to take and promote and encourage those who have been most greedy.   An example of this is the way the bailouts of 2008 and 2009 were handled to rescue huge companies that had taken advantage of thousands of people.

“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.  His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.” (Psalm 10:4-5)

In his pride, the wicked has no interest in God.  He openly and consistently does things that are offensive to God.  He is incapable of understanding true justice.  They think it unfair that a person who has taken the lives of other people should have his life taken, or that a man who has taken every thing other people have should have to repay his victims in full, even if it means his family loses everything. 

“He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.  His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.” (Psalm 10:6-8)

They are convinced they will be able to maintain their power by blackmail, bribery, intimidation and violence.  They curse and despise those around them, deceiving them and cheating them.  Their focus is on things that are not right, such as homosexuality and abortion, and their ideas for solutions are impracticable and unworkable.  

“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.  He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.” (Psalm 10:8-11)

They are secretive, hiding what they are doing from everyone, hiding like a lion in his den, so they can catch people unprepared, like congress doing secret deals to get what they want.  They design schemes to take away people’s freedom and property while pretending it is for their benefit.   They make a big play of being poor just like other people and having the same problems in order to make people trust them.  They convince themselves God cannot or will not intervene.

  

“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)

By their attitude, the wicked imply God doesn’t care about right and wrong and won’t do anything about their sin.  David asks God to intervene for his own reputation, to establish his righteousness and to not forget the humble who recognize their limitations.    

“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.  Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.” (Psalm 10:14-15)

God has seen the wrong doing and deliberate efforts to hurt other people, and knows that the poor are depending on him for their protection and help.  David asks that God breaks the power of the wicked and then destroys the wicked actions and attitudes until none remains.

“The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.  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 10:16-18)

God is the everlasting ruler who will drive out all those who desire to destroy his land and people.  He hears and knows what the people want and need and cares about those things.  He will see that justice is done to everyone so that no one can take advantage of others.   While David never answers the question, he assures us that God will intervene one day.