January 13, 2017

THE WORLD'S BIGGEST LOSER RECEIVES CHRIST'S GREATEST REWARD!

Psalm 10

Kayla Willis
Friday's Devo

January 13, 2017

Friday's Devo

January 13, 2017

Central Truth

Wickedness may win temporarily, but because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, evil has no victory over God or His people. This truth frees us from bitterness and fear.

Key Verse | Psalm 10:14

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.
(Psalm 10:14)

Psalm 10

Why Do You Hide Yourself?

Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?
    Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
    let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
    and the one greedy for gain curses 1 10:3 Or and he blesses the one greedy for gain and renounces the LORD.
In the pride of his face 2 10:4 Or of his anger the wicked does not seek him; 3 10:4 Or the wicked says, He will not call to account
    all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
His ways prosper at all times;
    your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
    as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
    throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
    under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
He sits in ambush in the villages;
    in hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
    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.

Footnotes

[1] 10:3 Or and he blesses the one greedy for gain
[2] 10:4 Or of his anger
[3] 10:4 Or the wicked says, “He will not call to account”

Dive Deeper | Psalm 10

I’ve clocked many babysitting hours over the years. When it came to kids and games, the story was always the same: I played dumb, purposely lost, and laughed to myself as they celebrated apparent victory against the all-powerful babysitter! Our passage paints a similar picture of the wicked seemingly succeeding against a sovereign God.

We see that the concept of a broken world is nothing new. Evil enters the world at the Fall (see Genesis 3) and continues throughout time. This may look different in our lives—persecution, losses, injustices, etc. Until Christ returns, evil will continue to exist, but take heart! We don’t have to live crippled by the wickedness that surrounds us (John 16:33).

Although suffering in this life is unavoidable (1 Peter 4:12), in due time God will arise and render final judgment against evildoers. This promise assures us that God is all-knowing, is in absolute control, keeps accurate accounts, and punishes justly (Revelation 20:12). All traces of wickedness will be eliminated, and we’ll live together with God forever (Revelation 21:3)! The glories of eternal life far exceed the suffering endured on earth (Romans 8:18).

So as the psalmist writes, why does God sometimes seem unaware of the ongoing evil? In 2 Peter 3:9, the Bible reminds us that God is waiting to fulfill His promised judgment so that more people might come into a relationship with Him. God is capable of eliminating evil by the power of His Word or the return of His Son. But God is also merciful, giving sinners a chance to accept the free gift of salvation.

As we continue living in this broken world, let us hold tightly to the promises in Psalm 10. Although we face many forms of evil, God hears our prayers and strengthens us. His presence helps us through the most trying of circumstances. In His sovereignty and perfect timing, God will settle all accounts. May these truths free us from harboring bitterness from past experiences and fearing the evil that could be in our future.

In the end, God wins. And as His people, so do we!

Discussion Questions

1. Read 1 Peter 2:21-25. Jesus is no stranger to your suffering. He faced great hardship, but He trusted that His experiences were all a part of God's ultimate plan to save us. Have you accepted God's free gift of salvation?

2. Read Romans 8:37. In light of knowing that eternal victory is ours, what temporary trial or ongoing hardship do you need to lay at the feet of Jesus?

3. Read Romans 12:19-21. Are you harboring bitterness in your heart because someone has wronged or offended you? Take a few minutes to pray for that person.

4. Read Revelation 19:11, 13, 15-16. Be encouraged that Jesus will return and reign victoriously!

 5. Consider how you could engage someone in a spiritual conversation relating to the presence of evil in the world and why God is still good.