Psalm 10: 8-18

Text
Wickedness sitteth in the lurking places of the villages. In the secret places doth it murder the innocent, its eyes are privately set against the poor. It lieth in wait secretly as a lion in its den. It lieth in wait to catch the poor. It doth catch the poor, when it draweth them into its net. It croucheth, and humbleth itself, that the poor may fall by its strong ones. It hath said in its heart, that thou, divinity, hath forgotten and hideth thy face and will never see it. Arise, O guide, O divinity, lift up thine hand, forget not the humble. Why doth wickedness condemn divinity? It hath said in its heart, Thou wilt not require it. Thou hast seen it, for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it…with us, thy hand. The poor committeth himself unto thee, thou art the helper of the orphan. Thus shall the arm of wickedness be broken and evil as well. Seek out wickedness till thou find none.
Thou art my guide for ages and ages. Heathen ways are perished out of thy land.
Thou hast heard the desire of the humble, thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause the ear to hear. To bring justice to the orphan and the oppressed, that the people on the earth may no more oppress.

Text Notes

• "for ages and ages" is more literal than the 1611 "for ever and ever". The original conveys both a sense of indefinite time AND of character (of "my guide").

Reflection
The message is clear in this passage. Wickedness is here characterized by its pursuit of the innocent poor. To gain by the oppression of others. And our guide works through us: "with us...thy hand." Spirit's work within us is to prepare our heart and cause our ear to hear the real need. Then we are to "bring justice to the orphan and the oppressed." Sometimes all this seems overwhelming to me. Our inequities seem built in. Let me listen and do what I can to be the hand of Love.

Psalm 10: 1-7

Text
Dost thou stand afar off, O guide? Dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble? The wicked in their pride do persecute the poor, let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For wickedness boasteth of its heart's desire, and blesseth covetousness, which thou abhorrest. Wickedness, through the pride of its countenance, will not seek after divinity, divinity is not in all its thoughts.
Its ways are always grievous, thy judgments are far above out of its sight, as for all its enemies, it puffeth at them. It hath said in its heart, I shall not be moved for I shall never be in adversity. Its mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud, under its tongue is mischief and vanity.

Text Notes

• Except for the 2nd verse, this psalm's long passage on wickedness is again abstract in form. Thus, the focus remains on the nature of wickedness rather than seeing others as our personal enemies.

Reflection
Why, indeed, does it seem that our guide is so far from us during times of trouble? Part of our problem is our religious indoctrination: we have over anthropomorphized God. As we mature in faith, we realize the real nature of divinity within us. This presence is subtle, but powerful! To ignore the best within each human being is to not seek after divinity. And, that is genuine wickedness. May my life be free of deceit and fraud. Integrity found in self respect. That's something worth celebrating!