1 O Lord, why do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide when I am in trouble?
2 The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.
Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.
3 For they brag about their evil desires;
they praise the greedy and curse the Lord.
4 The wicked are too proud to seek God.
They seem to think that God is dead.
5 Yet they succeed in everything they do.
They do not see your punishment awaiting them.
They sneer at all their enemies.
6 They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us!
We will be free of trouble forever!”
7 Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.
Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
8 They lurk in ambush in the villages,
waiting to murder innocent people.
They are always searching for helpless victims.
9 Like lions crouched in hiding,
they wait to pounce on the helpless.
Like hunters they capture the helpless
and drag them away in nets.
10 Their helpless victims are crushed;
they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
11 The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us!
He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”
12 Arise, O Lord!
Punish the wicked, O God!
Do not ignore the helpless!
13 Why do the wicked get away with despising God?
They think, “God will never call us to account.”
14 But you see the trouble and grief they cause.
You take note of it and punish them.
The helpless put their trust in you.
You defend the orphans.
15 Break the arms of these wicked, evil people!
Go after them until the last one is destroyed.
16 The Lord is king forever and ever!
The godless nations will vanish from the land.
17 Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
so mere people can no longer terrify them.
(Psalm 10)
Righteous Lord God:
Who are these wicked who flaunt your ways,
these unjust plotters against the poor?
Who are those who mock your judgement,
whose only credo is "I want more?"
Who are these prideful oppressors,
confident You must be blind,
crouching, waiting, laying snares
laughing while the poor are crying?
Who are these with souls so brazen,
think themselves masters of their fate?
Who could live so self-centeredly
saying, "Surely God will let us skate?
Who are these awful, vicious villains
who worship their own cleverness,
cheating, tricking, cursing, killing
the innocent and fatherless?
I thank you, Lord, that I am not (Luke 18:9-14)
as these atheists You abhor.
You know I gave at the office, right?
Ten bucks a month to help the poor.
I thank you, Lord, that I am not
the one who plots to feed my greed.
You know I pay every penny
my accountant saves for me.
I thank you, Lord, that I am not
the one who thinks that You don't see.
Every week I confess my secret sins
and hide them ever so discretely.
Who are these wicked mountebanks?
But even as I raise these questions,
as I pray the Psalmist's Words,
I realize my need for confession.
Wait -- is that why you seem to hide
when I complain about other's depravity,
when I point the finger of accusation,
and ignore the three pointing back at me?
It's me, O Lord, standing neck-deep in need
of Your forgiveness in this hour.
Your cross has saved me from sin's curse,
but your Spirit battles against it's power.
Break in upon my sinful thoughts.
Renew my love; cause me to hear.
You are not dead or unconcerned,
My holy ground, my burning bush is here.
The battle line against injustice,
faithlessness and perverse greed
runs through every human heart,
between cynicism and belief.
Lord, forgive my crouching self
which, like a lion prowls the weeds,
waits to pounce and devour
anyone who can meet my needs.
Arise, O Lord, break every chain
that binds me to a lesser creed,
and with Your Spirit condescend
to lift me forgiven from my knees,
Like Jacob at the Jabbok Creek,
let me wrestle with Your truth,
and know the joy of sins forgiven,
and limping always run to You.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment