LifeDate Summer 2024 – Made For Life
by Deaconess Janet Nicol
Fellow Christian Lutherans, consider the importance of lament in our lives. The fact that we, as Christians, are called to be faithful to Christ and His Word means that we call out to Him in every situation, including deep despair and anger. This is living under the first and second commandments and part of our prayer life as we pray the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be Thy name.”
Now let us look at a psalm which is a lament for the Church. Psalm 10 (which also can be placed under the second commandment and the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer) laments over the enemies of the Church. Who are those enemies? Make no mistake: They are the devil and all those who follow his ways. Now open up your Bibles, everyone, and look at Psalm 10.
Verse one starts out with a question that we often ask. Why does it seem that God is far off, hiding in times of trouble? This is an oft-asked question. It is seen many times in Scripture. This is comforting because it tells us that it is okay to question, to express disappointment or frustration. The truth is that He isn’t far off; perhaps He is hiding, but as we have discussed before, God has His ways and reasons for doing things that we cannot always understand. We are, after all, creatures, not the Creator. Again, I reiterate that it is desirable to the Lord that we ask even if we don’t get an answer.
The following ten verses speak of the wicked and their boasting, arrogant, greedy, and oppressive ways toward the poor, the innocent, and the helpless. The wicked say in their heart, “There is no God,” or “God has forgotten, He doesn’t see me.” This is the self-justification mode kicking in. “Since God doesn’t exist, or even if He did,” we say, “He’s not looking at anything I do. I can do whatever I please in order to gain for myself.” Not only the devil plays a part in this, but even our own Old Adams sink to low levels. Look at verse two where the psalmist says, “Let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.” This is a prayer in which we ask God to fulfill His promise to make sure the unjust get their due rewards.
Verse twelve picks up again the prayer that God will see to it. “Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.” It continues with the comfort that the Lord will hear, will act, and will give strength to the poor and afflicted Church. He will not let His Church die. We are His bride, and He is the perfect Husband.
Take heart and have hope, God’s people! Even though it appears as though we have been abandoned, that our existence here seems innocuous, not making a difference to our communities, we are not those things. God is not done with us yet. He only asks that we remain faithful because He is ALWAYS faithful. So, pray the lament of Psalm 10 and rejoice!
Psalm 10
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 and renounces the Lord.
In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; 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.
The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.
He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.
Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
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.
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none.
The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land.
O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.