Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
David, who most likely wrote this, is not the first to ask this question. He joins the cloud of witnesses that includes Rebekah, Moses, Joshua, Habakuk and others throughout the history who have asked the same question of God
Is this a question that you have ever asked of God. I am sure you have felt it at least. I have. It’s a reality in the world we live in. In a world where we are called to life by faith and not by sight. It seems like the arrogant, and the person who cares nothing for God succeed. Look at a person like former president Zuma, or even man like President Trump.
But it is not only politicians. So many people get away with everything. Gang leaders become wealthy, even lifelong lives, while the innocent cannot get ahead. Get poorer. Righteous really does not seem to pay off. Is God really a good judge.
To ask “why” is not a lack of faith, it is an expression of faith. It says, “We know God is good. We know that he is just. So why does it look the way it does?!
The answer is found in this table before us. It is the answer that God gives to the poor and oppressed. To the weak. To the wondering. He says I am good. I am just. I am present among the lowly. I have entered into the world; I have felt the full weight of evil. I know what you are experiencing, I have asked the ultimate why – “Why have you forsaken me, o God!”
Why do you stand far off? Arise O LORD!
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The wicked
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The prayer
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The confidence
The wicked
From verse 2-11 we have a description of a wicked person. And one thing that stands out is the absolute shocking arrogance of the wicked. Raising themselves up against God. They care for themselves and are toxic and destructive to all those around them. They don’t care about anyone else flourishing, as long as they flourish.
In many of these verses it talks about pride. V. 2 in arrogance… v. 3 the wick boasts… v. 4. In the Pride… v. 5. He puffs at them. They are totally self-centered. The wicked speak of “their” desires, the things “they” will accomplish.
This self-centeredness leads to a denial of God. Verse 4: “all his thoughts are, “There is no God”. This is the biblical definition of a fool. And If there is no God, there is no law higher than himself, there is no accountability, no judgement. In verse 5 the psalmist tells us that God’s judgments are on high, out of the fool’s sight. From here his actions degenerate.
In pride, the wicked thinks he cannot be touched. His speech becomes wholly destructive and unprofitable, full of lies, and empty (see verse 7). Physical crime ensues (ambush, extortion, murder) (see verse 8), oppression follows (verse 9), the weak and powerless are crushed (verse 10), and in the height of arrogance the wicked thinks he can hide from God’s sight, because God is powerless – like the poor. He treats God like he treats the poor. God and the poor are both helpless, and cant do anything. Is this not the world we live in?
Most of our culture think they are independent of God and can stand in judgement on Him, that there will be no consequence for their sin and rebellion. This is arrogance! Plain and simple. At the heart of all sin is pride. We know better than God.
Pride crushed people. Just look at verse 10, the helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. Wickedness and evil bring people to their knees.
Maybe that’s you today. Maybe you are being crushed. Maybe its not someone specific, but as the New Testament says not “flesh and blood but the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers over this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).”
You are oppressed by sin; you feel under attack. You feel the power of darkness as a wet blanket over your soul. You feel like God is far away, and your life is flickering like a burned-out candle about to go out. Or maybe it is someone telling lies about you. Betraying you. Bullying you. Abusing you. You ask, “Why are you so far off?!
Go to him and pray. Pray boldly. Pray confidently. Pray as with childlike trust and reverence (Lords Day 45)! He is the God who hears. He is the God who answers! God has given that assurance beyond what David could ever imagine in Christ.
The prayer.
We find the Psalmist calling on God to act in three different ways in verse 12. The Psalmist calls on God to: Arise, Lift you your hand, and forget not the afflicted.
“Arise”. The expression “Arise of LORD” occurs eight times in the scriptures and is associated with God’s care for his people and a defeat, or judgement of, His and their enemies. It is the call of God’s church! Come to our aid!
This call is ultimately answered in the LORD Jesus. When he arose from the dead – and declared the victory over our ultimate oppression – not Egypt, nor David enemies. But the great enemy of death, sin, Satan! He has crushed the head of the serpent! He has arisen and by his might put all his enemies to flight!
“Lift up your hand”. A hand lifted, is a hand prepared to strike. Notice the Psalmist is not taking things into his own hands, he is looking to the righteous judge to act. God is faithful – And only when we believe in a God of Justice can we truly be people of peace and love our enemies.
Romans 12 says, do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. Only when we believe this can we obey the rest of what Paul writes, 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.
Love of enemies is only possible if you believe in a God of judgment and vengeance. Divine vengeance has to be real for us to be non-violent. People don’t always like a GOD of justice. But mostly because they have never suffered horrible injustice.
Imagine speaking to a people whose houses and villages have been first plundered, then burned, and leveled to the ground, whose daughters and sisters have been raped, whose fathers and brothers have had their throat cuts.
Your point to them is – You should not retaliate? Why not?
I say the only means of saying no is to insist that vengeance is only legitimate when it comes from God. Violence thrives when we believe God refuses to take the sword. If God were not angry at injustice and deception and did not make a final end of violence, that God would not be worthy of worship. But the God of the cross – the God of our Lord Jesus Christ is a God who takes every sin every oppression seriously.
What I am saying is expressed beautifully in v. 14-15, “But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been a helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evil doer; call his wickedness to account you find none.”
The Confidence
Dear church, Our God hears the cry of the broken. He hears the cry of the oppressed. He has dealt with the enemy. He has given the decisive blow to evil. If David knew this, how much more not you who live after the judgement of Sin in Christ! You who have felt the freedom from oppression – You who have been set free in Christ! David only had the Passover! We have the Lords Supper!
This meal is meant to remind you of this, so that the words of v.16-18 might always echo in your heart and be on your lips.
THE LORD IS KING forever and forever. No matter how this world looks – he reigns, and nations perish from his land. HIS land – David is likely talking about the land of Israel – but we may extend it to all the earth! He owns all of it! He has come to redeem all things to himself! This is his land. His creation. All nations will perish from his land – till there is only one kingdom over – and that is the kingdom of the KING – King Jesus. And the meek will inherit the earth. Not the proud and haughty.
And it is this king who hears the desire of the afflicted (v. 17). I love how it is phrased. It does not say, “Hear the voice of the afflicted,” but “Hear the desire of the afflicted.” The hearts longing! He hears it beloved – the King of kings and Lord of lords! He knows what you are going through, what you have been through. He knows you. And will strengthen your heart and incline his ear, like a father bending to hear his little one (v. 17b). He does this to the fatherless – those who have no home. Who has no means of support. Who has no security. It is to the helpless that God comes. To the oppressed. Is this you? Cry out with confidence today and be encouraged by the table!
The last verse says, So that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more. O what a day to look forward to! The savior is a judge! It is the man from earth who brings terror but the man from heaven who has brought peace! He did not stand far off but came near! Even entering into judgement and taking the judgement of our sin upon himself. To set us free! To worship him. Come and taste that freedom and know his nearness so that the cloud that has too long overshadowed your soul might lift by being pierced with the sun of the gospel.
Amen