A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph over Evil
Why do You stand afar off, O LORD?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
• There is not, in my judgment, a Psalm which describes the mind, the manners, the works, the words, the feelings, and the fate of the
ungodly with so much propriety, fullness, and light, as this Psalm – Martin Luther (TOD)
• In the time of trouble, that which he complains of most feelingly is God’s withdrawing His gracious presence. It is because we judge
by outward appearance; we stand afar off form God by our unbelief, and then we complain that God stands afar off form us. (MH)
• The prevailing theme seems to be the oppression and persecution of the wicked (TOD)
• To the tearful eye of the sufferer the Lord seemed to stand still. The presence of God is the joy of His people, but any suspicion of
His absence is distracting beyond measure. (TOD)
• God knows the frailty of man will little wonder that when we are sharply exercised, we find it hard to bear the apparent neglect of the
Lord when He forbears to work our deliverance (TOD)
• It is not the trouble, but the hiding of our Father’s face, which cuts us to the quick (TOD)
• God bares the back that the blow may be felt; for it is only felt affliction which can become blest affliction (TOD)
• If there were no hiding of God, there will be no bitterness, and consequently no purging efficacy in His chastisement (TOD)
The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
• The accusation divides itself into two distinct charges: pride and tyranny; the one the root and cause of the other (TOD)
• Passionate and satirical invectives against bad men do more hurt than good; if we will speak of their badness, let it be to God in
prayer, for he alone can make them better (MH)
For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
He blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD.
• Many professors of religion who esteem a rich man and flatter him, even though they know that he has fattened himself upon the
flesh and blood of the poor (TOD)
• He brags of his evil life, or boasts that he will accomplish his wicked designs, or glories that he has already accomplished them (TOD)
• Greedy – covetous – a desire of possessing that which we have not (TOD)
The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
God is in none of his thoughts.
• The heart is often written on the countenance (TOD)
• The effect of pride: it kept the man from seeking God. It is hard to pray with a stiff neck and an unbending knee (TOD)
• He is judged a proud man (without a jury sitting on him), who when condemned will not submit, will not stoop so low as to accept of a
pardon (TOD)
• Thousands will die and be damned rather than they will have a pardon upon the sole account of Christ’s merits and obedience (TOD)
• The pride of the wicked is the principal reason why they will not seek after the knowledge of God (TOD)
• Pride consists in an unduly exalted opinion of one’s self. In proportion as it prevails in the heart, it makes us wish to see nothing
above us, to acknowledge no law but our own wills, to follow no rule but our own inclinations. (TOD)
• Great and potent oppressors and politicians, who see none on earth greater than themselves, none higher than they, and think
therefore that they may impune prey upon the smaller, as beasts use to do, have God not in any of their thoughts (TOD)
• Pride carries engraven in his very countenance and forehead and makes it known in all his carriages and gestures. All things are
indifferent to him. (TOD)
• The world has a spiritual fascination and witchcraft, by which, where it has once prevailed, men are enchanted to an utter
forgetfulness of themselves and God, and being drunk with pleasures, they are easily engaged to a madness and height of folly.
His ways are always prospering;
Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
• Because God does not immediately visit every sin with punishment, ungodly men do not see that in due time He judges all the earth
(TOD)
He has said in his heart,
“I shall not be moved;
I shall never be in adversity”.
• Carnal security opens the door for all impiety to enter into the soul (TOD)
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.
• By their perversions of truth, and by their immoral sentiments and practices, they are as injurious to the mind as the deadliest poison
can be to the body (TOD)
• Curses, lies, and threats – the three most common weapons of the tongue (NIV)
He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the secret places he murders the innocent;
His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
He lies in wait to catch the poor;
He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
• There are always bad men lying in wait for the saints. Let us travel well armed, for every bush conceals an enemy (TOD)
• The cunning to which the enemies of truth and righteousness will often resort in order to accomplish their corrupt and vicious designs
(TOD)
So he crouches, he lies low,
That the helpless may fall by his strength.
He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”
• The old sins forgotten by men stick fast in an infinite understanding. Old sins are written in a book which lies always before God
(TOD)
• There is nothing too mean or servile for them in the attempt to achieve their sinister ends (TOD)
Arise, O LORD!
O God, lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the humble.
Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account”.
• In these verses the description of the wicked is condensed and the evil of his character traced to its source, viz., atheistical ideas with
regard to the government of the world (TOD)
• The hope of the infidel and his heart-wishes are laid bare. He despises the Lord, because he will not believe that sin will meet with
punishment (TOD)
But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.
• This should be a terror to the wicked, to think that whatsoever they do, they do it in the sight of Him that shall judge them (TOD)
• Break the arm – let the sinner lose his power to sin; stop the tyrant, arrest the oppressor, weaken the loins of the mighty and dash in
pieces the terrible (TOD)
• God permits tyrants to arise as thorn-hedges to protect His church from the intrusion of hypocrites (TOD)
The LORD is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.
LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may oppress no more.