Psalm 10 begins with this heartfelt cry, “Why stand you afar off, O LORD? why hide you yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalms 10:1 KJ2000) This has been the woeful wail of God’s people for centuries, even millennia now. I tell people that the signs of the times, the woeful condition of men and the tyrannical rule of despots, prove that the second coming of Christ is near. And many say, “It’s been worse. Just think of the millions killed in the holocaust and the second world war, the millions killed by Stalin, Mao, the first world war, and the American Civil War. Or consider how the peasants in France were abominably treated by the aristocracy leading to their revolution in 1789, the resulting `Reign of Terror’ from 1793 to 1794 and the reign of Napoleon who killed and destroyed all across Europe.” And so with the Psalmist we still say, “Why stand you afar off, O LORD? why hide you yourself in times of trouble?”

But this time things are different. No longer do we see the potential for destruction of  only thousands or even millions. Now we look directly at the demonic fruition of evil men’s schemes which can, and will if left unchecked, destroy the entire earth and every living being on this earth. As Jesus said,

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22 KJ2000)

Yet even at this late hour we still do not see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked with respect to the blessing of God. He still sends his rain upon the just and the unjust and sometimes does not send rain upon the just even when they pray for and need it for their crops, lands, and animals. He still seems satisfied to allow the wicked to control and even destroy his people. Consider the Muslims in Africa and the Middle East who routinely kill Christian worshippers.

So, by faith we still wait for the rest of Psalm 10 to be fulfilled and for God’s righteous government to finally be established.

The wicked in his pride does persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, and blesses the covetous, whom the LORD abhors. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in  any of his thoughts. His ways are always prosperous; your judgments are far above, out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he sneers at them. He has 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. He sits in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places does he murder the innocent: his eyes are secretly set against the poor. He lies in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lies in wait to catch the poor: he does catch the poor, when he draws him into his net. He crouches, and lies low, that the poor may fall by his strength. He has said in his heart, God has forgotten: he hides his face; he will never see it. Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand: forget not the humble. Why does the wicked renounce God? he has said in his heart, You will not require it. You have seen it: for you behold mischief and spite, to repay it with your hand: the poor commits himself unto you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till you find none. The LORD is King forever and ever: the nations are perished out of his land. LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble: you will prepare their heart, you will cause your ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress. (Psalms 10:2-18 KJ2000)