Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies. He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”

Life can sometimes feel this way for those who seek to be honest and speak the truth. It can seem like the wicked are rewarded for their devious ways.

I have experienced deception and a lashing out of the prideful and arrogant against those who seek to be upright. This happens among family, in business, and in friendships. And in the short-term, this is a bit infuriating.

But I have also found a few principles at work which have changed my perspective and my prayers: 1) Suffering and hardship are allowed to draw us closer to God and to become more reliant on him. 2) The thing that matters the most - our God-given mission as his followers - is accomplished at all times, on the mountaintops AND in the valleys. This mission is to go out into all the world and preach the gospel, making disciples of all nations. Disciple-making is the currency of heaven and how we build up rewards there. 3) When I don’t get what I think I deserve, I can thank God for the honor of serving him and sharing in the sufferings of Jesus. 4) God eventually judges the wicked. Here are the final three verses of this Psalm: “The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭10‬:‭16‬-‭18‬)

God will encourage us and defend us. He is King Forever!

Lord, thank you for this word of encouragement, when we have to deal with evil people. You love me and have great plans for me. Help me to follow you, by simply trusting and obeying!