Accountable

Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
3 He boasts about the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
5 His ways are always prosperous;
your laws are rejected by[b] him;
he sneers at all his enemies.
6 He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”

7 His mouth is full of lies and threats;
trouble and evil are under his tongue.
8 He lies in wait near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent.
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
9     like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
10 His victims are crushed, they collapse;
they fall under his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;
he covers his face and never sees.”

12 Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?
14 But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that mere earthly mortals
will never again strike terror.

– Psalm 10

Key Verse:“Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, “He won’t call me to account”? Psalm 10:13

The psalmist writes that it appears God is distant or silent during atrocities. In times of trouble, we often expect God to bring justice quickly. God’s responses, however, can be a mystery from our perspective. Habakkuk is a prophet in the Old Testament who wrestles deeply with this reality. Newspaper headlines are perplexing and crimes appear to go unpunished. Who has the final say?

The Bible makes it very clear that it is foolish to think that God does not hold us accountable. God’s justice, timing, and mercy are perfect now, but that will be most evident at the end of our days. Heaven is real and the entrance is only through Jesus and His shed blood on the cross. Hell is real, and some people will choose to reject Jesus, even though God has done everything for their salvation. These eternal truths wake us up from spiritual slumber and deception. Make sure you are going to heaven, inviting as many people as possible, and living in a way that honors God today.