Psalms 10:1

 Psalms 10:1 says, Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?  Though David asked why God was standing afar off, I don't believe that God is ever afar off from His people.  If we as Christians don't feel that God is close to us, we need ask what we are doing that makes us feel that way.  God never deserts His people, those who have put their faith in Him.  Verse two adds, The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.  David seemed to base his feeling that God was far away on the actions of the wicked not being immediately punished.  David said that they were persecuting the poor.  We can never base whether God is near on the basis of material things.  Verse three states, For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.  David said the wicked boasted of having everything that their heart desired and blessed those who were covetous, which God hated.  We don't have to look too far today to see this attitude in the world, even with some who call themselves Christians.  Verse four adds, The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.  David said that due to self pride that the wicked would not seek God, so much so that God was not even in their thoughts.  God does not call people to boast about themselves but to boast about God instead.  We don't have to look far in the world today to find people who do not even retain God in their thoughts.  Verse five continues, His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.  David said that the wicked saw doing what God asked as being a burden and His judgment to be far above and out of sight.  Some people today may believe that if there is a God that He really has nothing to do with the world today and that His judgment will never affect them.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Verse six declares, He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.  David said that the wicked said that they would never be moved to come to God because they would never face adversity.  They were too filled with self pride.  Many people today put all their faith in material possessions and declare that they have no need for God.  Verse seven adds, His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.  David said that the speech of the wicked was full of cursing and deceit and fraud.  He also said they spoke out of mischief and vanity.  As followers of Christ, we need to let our words be such that they reflect the glory of God.  Verse eight continues, 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.  David said that the wicked hid in places where they could murder the innocent.  The actions of the wicked will usually be done in hidden places or in secret.   Verse nine says, 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.  David then said that the wicked were out to catch the poor in their net.  Too often today the poor people of the world are seen simply as a way to more riches for those in power.   The poor may not be murdered outright, but they are slowly killed by lack of the things needed to have a quality life.  Verse ten adds, He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.  Verse eleven concludes, He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.  David said that the wicked abused the poor and believed that God would never do anything about it.  No matter how much people deny God and believe that if He exists that He is not involved in the world today are very mistaken.  God is real and very much involved in the world today.