“Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, ‘He won’t call me to account’? But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless” (Psalm 10:13-14 NIV).
The dictionary I use says to revile is “to assail with abusive language.” Why would someone revile God? Notice the writer of this psalm doesn’t offer answers to the why questions he’s raised. Perhaps he doesn’t because learning why isn’t as important as knowing God’s eye is on the troubled and the grieving. He sees what’s going on, he sees our trouble and grief, and considers it to take it in hand.
It’s not hard to imagine why I’m drawn to the word fatherless. I’m a foster parent. A person with no father is missing her number one fan, and so much more. God sees we are defenseless, fatherless victims, and he’s our helper when we commit ourselves to his care.
He sees. He takes it in hand.
I enjoy reading the things God does in the final verses of this chapter, and why he does them (in italics).
“You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed; in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more” (verses 17-18).
Terror will be no more.
by Kathy Sheldon Davis
kathysheldondavis.com 