Psalms 41

Psalms 41:1

Prayer and Promise

David has sung in faith in the previous verses of the result of God’s exercise of justice in his favor. In Psalms 9:13 he speaks of the actual circumstances. The enemies have not yet been eradicated. They are making his life difficult. He supplicates for God’s grace, because he is miserable. This misery is caused by those who hate him and who continue to persecute him. He feels that he is before “the gates of death”, that is, in the power of death. In faith he expresses that God will “lift him up” from it, deliver him from it.

The Lord Jesus speaks of the “gates of Hades” as an expression of the power of death (Matthew 16:18). He does so in the context of the first communication to people ever about the church, which He calls “My church”, which He says He “will build”. That building began on the day of Pentecost with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4) and continues until the church is raptured.

The church includes all those who, because of their faith in the Lord Jesus, are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13). Those who are members of the church of God remain so, even though they have died. The power of death, or the gates of Hades, cannot change that.

For David, his deliverance from the power of death is one of all God’s praises, which are all His praiseworthy deeds, deeds worthy of praise (Psalms 9:14). In faith in God’s deliverance “from the gates of death”, he speaks of being “in the gates of the daughter of Zion”, that is Jerusalem as the city will be in the realm of peace.

God has then fulfilled His purpose with that city. The gates of the city symbolize the power of God. The city is a monument of God’s power. God by His power has delivered the city from all its enemies, giving it His salvation. All who live in the city will rejoice in what God has done to the city. He acted in favor of her.

Psalms 41:2

Judgment on the Nations

These verses give a prophetic description of the judgment on the nations. They describe events that still have to take place as if they have already taken place. The nations have wanted to raze the city to the ground, they have wanted to make the city a pit, filled with corpses of the inhabitants (Psalms 9:15). Through the judgments of the righteous Judge, the roles have been reversed. The nations have perished and have sunk down in the pit they have made for Jerusalem. In their march toward Jerusalem, their feet became caught in the net which they had hid for Jerusalem.

This happened because the LORD stood up for His people and turned against their enemies. He intervened in judgment and made Himself known in that way (Psalms 9:16). He becomes known by executing judgment. When “the wicked” – singular, we can think of the antichrist – becomes snared in the work of his own hands, it shows that God executes judgment. The words “higgaion, selah” indicate that while the music is playing softly (higgaion), a moment of quiet reflection (selah) on God’s justice is required.

After reflecting on God’s justice, David resumes speaking about the fate of the wicked (Psalms 9:17). He adds some serious words as a warning to the wicked. All the nations are returning to their place of origin. They come out of the realm of the dead, Sheol, and return there. Sheol – called Hades in the New Testament – is the place where the spirits of deceased unbelievers are.

That they return to the realm of the dead does not mean that the realm of the dead is their place of origin in a literal sense, but that the content of their lives has its origin there. They have manifested nothing but hatred toward God and His people. This is what characterizes the realm of the dead, where the unbelievers are. In their lives they have never been in touch with God. They have deliberately forgotten Him, eliminated Him in their thinking, not allowed Him any interference in their lives. They will always be forgotten by God.

In contrast, the needy will not always be forgotten (Psalms 9:18). God is thinking of him (cf. Psalms 9:12). Therefore, the hope of the afflicted does not perish forever. No needy and afflicted who places his hope in God does so in vain. God hears and will answer and deliver.

Psalms 41:3

Judgment on the Nations

These verses give a prophetic description of the judgment on the nations. They describe events that still have to take place as if they have already taken place. The nations have wanted to raze the city to the ground, they have wanted to make the city a pit, filled with corpses of the inhabitants (Psalms 9:15). Through the judgments of the righteous Judge, the roles have been reversed. The nations have perished and have sunk down in the pit they have made for Jerusalem. In their march toward Jerusalem, their feet became caught in the net which they had hid for Jerusalem.

This happened because the LORD stood up for His people and turned against their enemies. He intervened in judgment and made Himself known in that way (Psalms 9:16). He becomes known by executing judgment. When “the wicked” – singular, we can think of the antichrist – becomes snared in the work of his own hands, it shows that God executes judgment. The words “higgaion, selah” indicate that while the music is playing softly (higgaion), a moment of quiet reflection (selah) on God’s justice is required.

After reflecting on God’s justice, David resumes speaking about the fate of the wicked (Psalms 9:17). He adds some serious words as a warning to the wicked. All the nations are returning to their place of origin. They come out of the realm of the dead, Sheol, and return there. Sheol – called Hades in the New Testament – is the place where the spirits of deceased unbelievers are.

That they return to the realm of the dead does not mean that the realm of the dead is their place of origin in a literal sense, but that the content of their lives has its origin there. They have manifested nothing but hatred toward God and His people. This is what characterizes the realm of the dead, where the unbelievers are. In their lives they have never been in touch with God. They have deliberately forgotten Him, eliminated Him in their thinking, not allowed Him any interference in their lives. They will always be forgotten by God.

In contrast, the needy will not always be forgotten (Psalms 9:18). God is thinking of him (cf. Psalms 9:12). Therefore, the hope of the afflicted does not perish forever. No needy and afflicted who places his hope in God does so in vain. God hears and will answer and deliver.

Psalms 41:4

Judgment on the Nations

These verses give a prophetic description of the judgment on the nations. They describe events that still have to take place as if they have already taken place. The nations have wanted to raze the city to the ground, they have wanted to make the city a pit, filled with corpses of the inhabitants (Psalms 9:15). Through the judgments of the righteous Judge, the roles have been reversed. The nations have perished and have sunk down in the pit they have made for Jerusalem. In their march toward Jerusalem, their feet became caught in the net which they had hid for Jerusalem.

This happened because the LORD stood up for His people and turned against their enemies. He intervened in judgment and made Himself known in that way (Psalms 9:16). He becomes known by executing judgment. When “the wicked” – singular, we can think of the antichrist – becomes snared in the work of his own hands, it shows that God executes judgment. The words “higgaion, selah” indicate that while the music is playing softly (higgaion), a moment of quiet reflection (selah) on God’s justice is required.

After reflecting on God’s justice, David resumes speaking about the fate of the wicked (Psalms 9:17). He adds some serious words as a warning to the wicked. All the nations are returning to their place of origin. They come out of the realm of the dead, Sheol, and return there. Sheol – called Hades in the New Testament – is the place where the spirits of deceased unbelievers are.

That they return to the realm of the dead does not mean that the realm of the dead is their place of origin in a literal sense, but that the content of their lives has its origin there. They have manifested nothing but hatred toward God and His people. This is what characterizes the realm of the dead, where the unbelievers are. In their lives they have never been in touch with God. They have deliberately forgotten Him, eliminated Him in their thinking, not allowed Him any interference in their lives. They will always be forgotten by God.

In contrast, the needy will not always be forgotten (Psalms 9:18). God is thinking of him (cf. Psalms 9:12). Therefore, the hope of the afflicted does not perish forever. No needy and afflicted who places his hope in God does so in vain. God hears and will answer and deliver.

Psalms 41:5

Judgment on the Nations

These verses give a prophetic description of the judgment on the nations. They describe events that still have to take place as if they have already taken place. The nations have wanted to raze the city to the ground, they have wanted to make the city a pit, filled with corpses of the inhabitants (Psalms 9:15). Through the judgments of the righteous Judge, the roles have been reversed. The nations have perished and have sunk down in the pit they have made for Jerusalem. In their march toward Jerusalem, their feet became caught in the net which they had hid for Jerusalem.

This happened because the LORD stood up for His people and turned against their enemies. He intervened in judgment and made Himself known in that way (Psalms 9:16). He becomes known by executing judgment. When “the wicked” – singular, we can think of the antichrist – becomes snared in the work of his own hands, it shows that God executes judgment. The words “higgaion, selah” indicate that while the music is playing softly (higgaion), a moment of quiet reflection (selah) on God’s justice is required.

After reflecting on God’s justice, David resumes speaking about the fate of the wicked (Psalms 9:17). He adds some serious words as a warning to the wicked. All the nations are returning to their place of origin. They come out of the realm of the dead, Sheol, and return there. Sheol – called Hades in the New Testament – is the place where the spirits of deceased unbelievers are.

That they return to the realm of the dead does not mean that the realm of the dead is their place of origin in a literal sense, but that the content of their lives has its origin there. They have manifested nothing but hatred toward God and His people. This is what characterizes the realm of the dead, where the unbelievers are. In their lives they have never been in touch with God. They have deliberately forgotten Him, eliminated Him in their thinking, not allowed Him any interference in their lives. They will always be forgotten by God.

In contrast, the needy will not always be forgotten (Psalms 9:18). God is thinking of him (cf. Psalms 9:12). Therefore, the hope of the afflicted does not perish forever. No needy and afflicted who places his hope in God does so in vain. God hears and will answer and deliver.

Psalms 41:6

Call to God to Arise

In Psalms 9:19, David, and in him the faithful remnant, appeals to God to prevent man – Hebrew enosh, which is weak, mortal man – from making himself strong against the God-fearing. The so powerful antichrist, the beast coming up out of the earth (Revelation 13:11-18), who is supported by the beast coming up out of the sea (Revelation 13:1-10), is here referred to as enosh, weak and mortal. Therefore, let the LORD arise. Even the nations are made up of nothing but weak, mortal people.

When the LORD exalts Himself in His majesty, His impressive stature will put fear into their hearts (Psalms 9:20). Then they will shrivel up and know that God is the strong God and that they themselves are nothing but “men”, weak, mortal men who are powerless against Him.

Psalms 41:7

Call to God to Arise

In Psalms 9:19, David, and in him the faithful remnant, appeals to God to prevent man – Hebrew enosh, which is weak, mortal man – from making himself strong against the God-fearing. The so powerful antichrist, the beast coming up out of the earth (Revelation 13:11-18), who is supported by the beast coming up out of the sea (Revelation 13:1-10), is here referred to as enosh, weak and mortal. Therefore, let the LORD arise. Even the nations are made up of nothing but weak, mortal people.

When the LORD exalts Himself in His majesty, His impressive stature will put fear into their hearts (Psalms 9:20). Then they will shrivel up and know that God is the strong God and that they themselves are nothing but “men”, weak, mortal men who are powerless against Him.

Psalms 41:9

Introduction

Psalms 10 continues as an acrostic where Psalms 9 ends. Psalms 9 ends with the letter kaph and Psalms 10 continues in Psalms 10:1 with the letter lamedh. Just as in Psalms 9, where we read about the wicked (Psalms 9:5), after which a letter is skipped, daleth, here we also read about the wicked and six letters are skipped. Psalms 10 does not continue with the next letter, qoph, until in Psalms 10:12 and then continues with the acrostic.

Psalms 10:2-11 are not part of the acrostic. As mentioned, six letters are skipped. The number 6 is the number of man; 666 is the number of the man of sin, the antichrist (Revelation 13:18). The antichrist is a person. He is the future, false king of Israel. He is wicked in the sense that he declares of himself that he is God. He is not an atheist, someone who denies the existence of God. On the contrary. The word anti means both instead of and against. The name antichrist means instead of Christ and against Christ.

He is the masterpiece of satan through whom satan tempts man to trust not in God but in him. At first he succeeds. He manages to enchant the mass of unbelieving Jews through signs and false wonders. This brings great trials to the believing remnant. Just as Cain could not endure Abel, the wicked does not endure the God-fearing.

Psalms 10 writes of the believer’s difficulty with God’s governmental ways when he sees that the wicked are seemingly doing well (cf. Psalms 73:2-3; 16-17). The question receives no theological answer, but is answered by pointing to God’s care for His own (Psalms 10:14).

Why Does God Not Intervene?

The psalm begins with a cry of anguish to God. The psalmist is in distress; he cries out to the LORD. Where is He, now that he needs Him so much? He exists, the psalmist knows that, but He is not near him, he does not experience His presence. The LORD stands afar off and makes no move to come to his aid (cf. Isaiah 49:14).

He asks the LORD why He hides Himself, just when he needs Him so much, when he is “in times of trouble”. In the next few verses he describes why he is in distress. There he describes a relentless enemy who pursues him relentlessly. Yet that enemy is not his real need; his major need is that God hides Himself.

Psalms 41:10

What the Wicked Thinks, Does, and Says

In these verses, the psalmist tells why he cries out to the LORD in his troubles in Psalms 10:1. He wrestles with his faith, his faith is in conflict with what he sees. In these verses he gives a detailed description of the wicked in whom we again clearly recognize the antichrist. The antichrist is the wicked who has no regard for God. He lives in pure pride in rebellion against Him.

The wicked shows his hatred of God by “hotly” pursuing the God-fearing “afflicted” (Psalms 10:2). “Hotly” means burning, a burning zeal to kill the God-fearing. He is helped in this by his followers. This is evident from the second line of Psa 10:2. The psalmist cries out to God “to let them be caught in the plots which they have devised”. The followers of the antichrist are animated by the same demonic spirit and devise the same demonic plans. Further on, in Psalms 10:8-10, the execution of those cunning plans is vividly described.

His murderous and predatory ways are “his heart’s desire” (Psalms 10:3). He behaves as if he were God (2 Thessalonians 2:4b). Without any shame, he boasts of his sins. He “blesses the greedy man” as it also can be translated. The greedy man is the one who behaves like him. In contrast, he “curses [and] spurns the LORD”. He not only does not care about God, but deliberately turns against Him and deliberately speaks evil of Him. In the eyes of people he may be a good ruler, someone who does his best to make people’s lives more pleasant, but it is all pretense.

The wicked is very much pleased with himself. In the haughtiness of his countenance and in his arrogance he believes that any seeking of God or any examination of what is good is unnecessary (Psalms 10:4). He himself determines what is good. He is his own standard. In his thoughts, “all his thoughts”, there is no room for God. He blasphemes God and banishes Him from his thinking.

That there is no room for God in his thoughts, seems to bring success on his ways, because they prosper at all times (Psalms 10:5). But those who live without God, those who do not involve Him in their lives, can only cause pain and sorrow for others. There is no thought of the well-being of others.

The wicked denies that he is accountable to God. As a result, he claims, he has a free pass to force his neighbor to accept his scheme. If his neighbor does not, he will remove him, as Cain did to Abel. God’s judgment is far above him, far from him, and it does not interest him at all. He puts it off (cf. Amos 6:3). “He snorts” at “all his adversaries”, those who disagree with him, he does not tolerate them in his presence and gets rid of them.

There is not the slightest modesty or uncertainty with him about his actions. In his heart resides the greatest prideful self-assurance that he will not be moved (Psalms 10:6). Here, in his haughtiness, he appropriates a privilege that God has purposed for the righteous (Psalms 15:5; Psalms 16:8; Psalms 21:7; Psalms 112:6). He sees himself surviving the generations and living on in prosperity, untouchable from misfortune. In his conceit and pride, he thinks: “I will not be in adversity.”

The language his mouth spews out reflects what is in his heart and in his mind (Psalms 10:7). He does not curse, deceive and oppress just once in a while and is not crafty in his speaking just once in a while, but his mouth is full of it. There is no room for anything else. The smallest bit of truth is foreign to him. “Under his tongue”, which is also his weapon, “is mischief and wickedness”. His words conceal his real intentions. There is nothing sincere in him.

In Psalms 10:8-10, the psalmist describes the wicked as a lion lying in ambush to ambush and devour his prey. His prey is called “the innocent”, “the unfortunate” (Psalms 10:8), “the afflicted” (Psalms 10:9 [2x]) and again “the unfortunate” (Psalms 10:10). They are no match for the mighty lion with his strong claws. The wicked targets those who live righteously before God and therefore brings his hatred upon them.

Because God does not intervene directly, the wicked believes he can continue to do evil (Psalms 10:11; cf. Ecclesiastes 8:11). He sees God’s patience as impotence. In his foolishness, he believes that God is forgetful and acts as if He does not care, that He even “will never see” evil.

Psalms 41:11

What the Wicked Thinks, Does, and Says

In these verses, the psalmist tells why he cries out to the LORD in his troubles in Psalms 10:1. He wrestles with his faith, his faith is in conflict with what he sees. In these verses he gives a detailed description of the wicked in whom we again clearly recognize the antichrist. The antichrist is the wicked who has no regard for God. He lives in pure pride in rebellion against Him.

The wicked shows his hatred of God by “hotly” pursuing the God-fearing “afflicted” (Psalms 10:2). “Hotly” means burning, a burning zeal to kill the God-fearing. He is helped in this by his followers. This is evident from the second line of Psa 10:2. The psalmist cries out to God “to let them be caught in the plots which they have devised”. The followers of the antichrist are animated by the same demonic spirit and devise the same demonic plans. Further on, in Psalms 10:8-10, the execution of those cunning plans is vividly described.

His murderous and predatory ways are “his heart’s desire” (Psalms 10:3). He behaves as if he were God (2 Thessalonians 2:4b). Without any shame, he boasts of his sins. He “blesses the greedy man” as it also can be translated. The greedy man is the one who behaves like him. In contrast, he “curses [and] spurns the LORD”. He not only does not care about God, but deliberately turns against Him and deliberately speaks evil of Him. In the eyes of people he may be a good ruler, someone who does his best to make people’s lives more pleasant, but it is all pretense.

The wicked is very much pleased with himself. In the haughtiness of his countenance and in his arrogance he believes that any seeking of God or any examination of what is good is unnecessary (Psalms 10:4). He himself determines what is good. He is his own standard. In his thoughts, “all his thoughts”, there is no room for God. He blasphemes God and banishes Him from his thinking.

That there is no room for God in his thoughts, seems to bring success on his ways, because they prosper at all times (Psalms 10:5). But those who live without God, those who do not involve Him in their lives, can only cause pain and sorrow for others. There is no thought of the well-being of others.

The wicked denies that he is accountable to God. As a result, he claims, he has a free pass to force his neighbor to accept his scheme. If his neighbor does not, he will remove him, as Cain did to Abel. God’s judgment is far above him, far from him, and it does not interest him at all. He puts it off (cf. Amos 6:3). “He snorts” at “all his adversaries”, those who disagree with him, he does not tolerate them in his presence and gets rid of them.

There is not the slightest modesty or uncertainty with him about his actions. In his heart resides the greatest prideful self-assurance that he will not be moved (Psalms 10:6). Here, in his haughtiness, he appropriates a privilege that God has purposed for the righteous (Psalms 15:5; Psalms 16:8; Psalms 21:7; Psalms 112:6). He sees himself surviving the generations and living on in prosperity, untouchable from misfortune. In his conceit and pride, he thinks: “I will not be in adversity.”

The language his mouth spews out reflects what is in his heart and in his mind (Psalms 10:7). He does not curse, deceive and oppress just once in a while and is not crafty in his speaking just once in a while, but his mouth is full of it. There is no room for anything else. The smallest bit of truth is foreign to him. “Under his tongue”, which is also his weapon, “is mischief and wickedness”. His words conceal his real intentions. There is nothing sincere in him.

In Psalms 10:8-10, the psalmist describes the wicked as a lion lying in ambush to ambush and devour his prey. His prey is called “the innocent”, “the unfortunate” (Psalms 10:8), “the afflicted” (Psalms 10:9 [2x]) and again “the unfortunate” (Psalms 10:10). They are no match for the mighty lion with his strong claws. The wicked targets those who live righteously before God and therefore brings his hatred upon them.

Because God does not intervene directly, the wicked believes he can continue to do evil (Psalms 10:11; cf. Ecclesiastes 8:11). He sees God’s patience as impotence. In his foolishness, he believes that God is forgetful and acts as if He does not care, that He even “will never see” evil.

Psalms 41:12

What the Wicked Thinks, Does, and Says

In these verses, the psalmist tells why he cries out to the LORD in his troubles in Psalms 10:1. He wrestles with his faith, his faith is in conflict with what he sees. In these verses he gives a detailed description of the wicked in whom we again clearly recognize the antichrist. The antichrist is the wicked who has no regard for God. He lives in pure pride in rebellion against Him.

The wicked shows his hatred of God by “hotly” pursuing the God-fearing “afflicted” (Psalms 10:2). “Hotly” means burning, a burning zeal to kill the God-fearing. He is helped in this by his followers. This is evident from the second line of Psa 10:2. The psalmist cries out to God “to let them be caught in the plots which they have devised”. The followers of the antichrist are animated by the same demonic spirit and devise the same demonic plans. Further on, in Psalms 10:8-10, the execution of those cunning plans is vividly described.

His murderous and predatory ways are “his heart’s desire” (Psalms 10:3). He behaves as if he were God (2 Thessalonians 2:4b). Without any shame, he boasts of his sins. He “blesses the greedy man” as it also can be translated. The greedy man is the one who behaves like him. In contrast, he “curses [and] spurns the LORD”. He not only does not care about God, but deliberately turns against Him and deliberately speaks evil of Him. In the eyes of people he may be a good ruler, someone who does his best to make people’s lives more pleasant, but it is all pretense.

The wicked is very much pleased with himself. In the haughtiness of his countenance and in his arrogance he believes that any seeking of God or any examination of what is good is unnecessary (Psalms 10:4). He himself determines what is good. He is his own standard. In his thoughts, “all his thoughts”, there is no room for God. He blasphemes God and banishes Him from his thinking.

That there is no room for God in his thoughts, seems to bring success on his ways, because they prosper at all times (Psalms 10:5). But those who live without God, those who do not involve Him in their lives, can only cause pain and sorrow for others. There is no thought of the well-being of others.

The wicked denies that he is accountable to God. As a result, he claims, he has a free pass to force his neighbor to accept his scheme. If his neighbor does not, he will remove him, as Cain did to Abel. God’s judgment is far above him, far from him, and it does not interest him at all. He puts it off (cf. Amos 6:3). “He snorts” at “all his adversaries”, those who disagree with him, he does not tolerate them in his presence and gets rid of them.

There is not the slightest modesty or uncertainty with him about his actions. In his heart resides the greatest prideful self-assurance that he will not be moved (Psalms 10:6). Here, in his haughtiness, he appropriates a privilege that God has purposed for the righteous (Psalms 15:5; Psalms 16:8; Psalms 21:7; Psalms 112:6). He sees himself surviving the generations and living on in prosperity, untouchable from misfortune. In his conceit and pride, he thinks: “I will not be in adversity.”

The language his mouth spews out reflects what is in his heart and in his mind (Psalms 10:7). He does not curse, deceive and oppress just once in a while and is not crafty in his speaking just once in a while, but his mouth is full of it. There is no room for anything else. The smallest bit of truth is foreign to him. “Under his tongue”, which is also his weapon, “is mischief and wickedness”. His words conceal his real intentions. There is nothing sincere in him.

In Psalms 10:8-10, the psalmist describes the wicked as a lion lying in ambush to ambush and devour his prey. His prey is called “the innocent”, “the unfortunate” (Psalms 10:8), “the afflicted” (Psalms 10:9 [2x]) and again “the unfortunate” (Psalms 10:10). They are no match for the mighty lion with his strong claws. The wicked targets those who live righteously before God and therefore brings his hatred upon them.

Because God does not intervene directly, the wicked believes he can continue to do evil (Psalms 10:11; cf. Ecclesiastes 8:11). He sees God’s patience as impotence. In his foolishness, he believes that God is forgetful and acts as if He does not care, that He even “will never see” evil.

Psalms 41:13

What the Wicked Thinks, Does, and Says

In these verses, the psalmist tells why he cries out to the LORD in his troubles in Psalms 10:1. He wrestles with his faith, his faith is in conflict with what he sees. In these verses he gives a detailed description of the wicked in whom we again clearly recognize the antichrist. The antichrist is the wicked who has no regard for God. He lives in pure pride in rebellion against Him.

The wicked shows his hatred of God by “hotly” pursuing the God-fearing “afflicted” (Psalms 10:2). “Hotly” means burning, a burning zeal to kill the God-fearing. He is helped in this by his followers. This is evident from the second line of Psa 10:2. The psalmist cries out to God “to let them be caught in the plots which they have devised”. The followers of the antichrist are animated by the same demonic spirit and devise the same demonic plans. Further on, in Psalms 10:8-10, the execution of those cunning plans is vividly described.

His murderous and predatory ways are “his heart’s desire” (Psalms 10:3). He behaves as if he were God (2 Thessalonians 2:4b). Without any shame, he boasts of his sins. He “blesses the greedy man” as it also can be translated. The greedy man is the one who behaves like him. In contrast, he “curses [and] spurns the LORD”. He not only does not care about God, but deliberately turns against Him and deliberately speaks evil of Him. In the eyes of people he may be a good ruler, someone who does his best to make people’s lives more pleasant, but it is all pretense.

The wicked is very much pleased with himself. In the haughtiness of his countenance and in his arrogance he believes that any seeking of God or any examination of what is good is unnecessary (Psalms 10:4). He himself determines what is good. He is his own standard. In his thoughts, “all his thoughts”, there is no room for God. He blasphemes God and banishes Him from his thinking.

That there is no room for God in his thoughts, seems to bring success on his ways, because they prosper at all times (Psalms 10:5). But those who live without God, those who do not involve Him in their lives, can only cause pain and sorrow for others. There is no thought of the well-being of others.

The wicked denies that he is accountable to God. As a result, he claims, he has a free pass to force his neighbor to accept his scheme. If his neighbor does not, he will remove him, as Cain did to Abel. God’s judgment is far above him, far from him, and it does not interest him at all. He puts it off (cf. Amos 6:3). “He snorts” at “all his adversaries”, those who disagree with him, he does not tolerate them in his presence and gets rid of them.

There is not the slightest modesty or uncertainty with him about his actions. In his heart resides the greatest prideful self-assurance that he will not be moved (Psalms 10:6). Here, in his haughtiness, he appropriates a privilege that God has purposed for the righteous (Psalms 15:5; Psalms 16:8; Psalms 21:7; Psalms 112:6). He sees himself surviving the generations and living on in prosperity, untouchable from misfortune. In his conceit and pride, he thinks: “I will not be in adversity.”

The language his mouth spews out reflects what is in his heart and in his mind (Psalms 10:7). He does not curse, deceive and oppress just once in a while and is not crafty in his speaking just once in a while, but his mouth is full of it. There is no room for anything else. The smallest bit of truth is foreign to him. “Under his tongue”, which is also his weapon, “is mischief and wickedness”. His words conceal his real intentions. There is nothing sincere in him.

In Psalms 10:8-10, the psalmist describes the wicked as a lion lying in ambush to ambush and devour his prey. His prey is called “the innocent”, “the unfortunate” (Psalms 10:8), “the afflicted” (Psalms 10:9 [2x]) and again “the unfortunate” (Psalms 10:10). They are no match for the mighty lion with his strong claws. The wicked targets those who live righteously before God and therefore brings his hatred upon them.

Because God does not intervene directly, the wicked believes he can continue to do evil (Psalms 10:11; cf. Ecclesiastes 8:11). He sees God’s patience as impotence. In his foolishness, he believes that God is forgetful and acts as if He does not care, that He even “will never see” evil.