Psalm 10 My How The Tables Have Turned

Daily Bible Study for Tuesday July 12, 2016

By: Hanny Lynn Stearns

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

“Multiplying God’s Word Around The Globe”

Chapter Reading for Today: Please read in your Bible before proceeding. Note that most translations are considered paraphrases. The Young’s Literal Translation provides a more accurate translation since he is the one who authored a concordance. Others are helpful for seeing a different perspective, but we cannot always depend on their wording. I hope this is helpful to you. If you are studying in another version, that is fine. I am studying from the KJV, but for the purpose of this study, I will keep it with the New King James Version.

One final note: I will put the scripture in italics to differentiate from my own writing. I am adding red to the letters when it is Jesus talking – just like the Bible. Thank you.

Bible Gateway Verse of the Day

Matthew 4:4

But He answered and said,

 “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

and into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Song: Angels Are A Workin’ Bringin Money In    By: Keith Moore

Psalm 10

My, How The Tables Have Turned

Ya gotta love David, right? I am really looking forward to meeting him. How about you? What a man of God he truly was. Hallelujah! Glory to God! Like all the Psalms we have read so far, this one gives glory to God for who He is and what He can and will do – especially as it pertains to the wicked people who despise Him. Let’s dive into the refreshing water of the word today and see what He will show us. Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father;

Thank You Lord for being a merciful God. You care so much for the poor, the needy, and the fatherless. Lord, we find it very comforting to know that You are always watching. You know exactly what is going on everywhere at all times. Nothing escapes Your powerful sight. Father, I ask You today to enlighten the eyes of our hearts as we come into Your presence and look deeply into the water of Your word. I ask You to open every heart that will ever read this study to receive all that You want to reveal in it. Father, I ask You to think through my mind, love through my heart and speak through my hands the thoughts and intentions of Your heart today. Make it clear to us what we should learn. Father, make my tongue and my hands like the pen of a ready writer. Cause Your purpose and plan to go forth in this lesson today unhindered and unchecked by any outside force or my flesh. And Lord, as we study and get quiet, we will purpose to take this very seriously and be doers of Your word and not forgetful hearers. Thank You for always watching over Your word to perform it in our lives when we listen and obey in Jesus name. Amen!  

Who among us has not looked at the schemes of evil people who do not care one bit about God or even believe in Him, and wondered how they seem to get away with murder, literally? If we look at things from our natural mind’s eye, we see people all around us who live like there is no God. In our Psalm today, David was passionately crying out to God to rise up and deal with them. He couldn’t bear to see the terrible things that were happening to the poor by folks who act there is no God and no accountability for what they do.

If you look at this chapter in the Amplified Classic Version, it gives a very descriptive account of what David saw the evil people getting away with, or so they thought…

Psalm 10 AMPC

Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself, [veiling Your eyes] in times of trouble (distress and desperation)?

² The wicked in pride and arrogance hotly pursue and persecute the poor; let them be taken in the schemes which they have devised.

³ For the wicked man boasts (sings the praises) of his own heart’s desire, and the one greedy for gain curses and spurns, yes, renounces and despises the Lord.

⁴ The wicked one in the pride of his countenance will not seek, inquire for, and yearn for God; all his thoughts are that there is no God [so He never punishes].

⁵ His ways are grievous [or persist] at all times; Your judgments [Lord] are far above and on high out of his sight [so he never thinks about them]; as for all his foes, he sniffs and sneers at them.

⁶ He thinks in his heart, I shall not be moved; for throughout all generations I shall not come to want or be in adversity.

⁷ His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, oppression (fraud); under his tongue are trouble and sin (mischief and iniquity).

⁸ He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he slays the innocent; he watches stealthily for the poor (the helpless and unfortunate).

⁹ He lurks in secret places like a lion in his thicket; he lies in wait that he may seize the poor (the helpless and the unfortunate); he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.

¹⁰ [The prey] is crushed, sinks down; and the helpless falls by his mighty [claws].

¹¹ [The foe] thinks in his heart, God has quite forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see [my deed].

¹² Arise, O Lord! O God, lift up Your hand; forget not the humble [patient and crushed].

¹³ Why does the wicked [man] condemn (spurn and renounce) God? Why has he thought in his heart, You will not call to account?

¹⁴ You have seen it; yes, You note trouble and grief (vexation) to requite it with Your hand. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.

¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked man; and as for the evil man, search out his wickedness until You find no more.

¹⁶ The Lord is King forever and ever; the nations will perish out of His land.

¹⁷ O Lord, You have heard the desire and the longing of the humble and oppressed; You will prepare and strengthen and direct their hearts, You will cause Your ear to hear,

¹⁸ To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man, who is of the earth, may not terrify them any more. 

The wicked person is arrogant. They are prideful and boastful. They do not consider God at all. Every day that they wake up they are on their own. They think that they themselves are the ones keeping their lives going forward. They work hard and prosper and think it is all a matter of their own efforts with no help from God above. They sneer at those less fortunate than themselves. 

Anyone who is poor is considered to be trash in their site, and they would just as soon step on them as to even acknowledge them as being human like themselves. The wicked person sneers at his enemies and thinks nothing can come against them. They believe they will never see trouble. People like this are full of selfish and evil intentions in their hearts. Their souls are bitter and their hearts and mouths are full of cursing.

People like this actually focus on what they can do to take advantage of the poor. They lay waiting for every opportunity to stomp on someone less fortunate than them so they can prosper. All the while, they think that there is no God and they will never be held accountable for their actions. David is watching all this evil going on around him and he is crying out to Almighty God who created everything in this world and knows every single detail of everything that ever happened.

God knows what is going on. Anyone who thinks He doesn’t is simply fooling themselves. They are living in a dream of delusions. We have all seen them. Some are the very rich who think their money is their helper. They think that anyone who has less than them is less than them and is treated with contempt. It is a sad thing to see, but it is happening all over the world every day. People are trying to say there is no God because they do not want to be held accountable for their actions. They do not want to submit to or answer to anyone.

They try to make God out to be a bad guy by saying, “If there was a God who was good, why is He allowing all these bad things to happen to nice people. If your God is like that I want no part of Him.” Then they turn the other cheek and walk away, continuing to live like the devil every minute that they are awake. What is so unfortunate is that they are walking straight to the edge of a cliff and do not realize it.

The Bible is full of promises for the Christian. It is what we live on to withstand the trials and tribulations of this life until Jesus comes back for us. But it is also full of promises to the wicked. God is not slow in His promises. There will be a day of judgment. Everyone will be held accountable for what they did in this life. And the only ones who will escape the fires of hell will be the ones who endure to the end…

Matthew 10:22

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Our salvation will depend on us at the end of it all. We have to work out our salvation. But here’s the thing. The wicked who turn themselves from God are in for a very rude awakening. I personally have known families and many people who have crossed my path who did not acknowledge God. They seemed to live good lives. They made a lot of money and had all of life’s so called treasures and amenities.

They had all the finest for homes, cars and clothing. The best vacations, everything they want to do when they want to do it. And some of these folks are so nice to your face that it is very deceiving. I knew a family when I was in grade school that I loved very much. They were so kind to me. I had wanted to be a part of their family because they were so kind to each other and very good to me. But they had nothing to do with the things of God. To this day, they still don’t as far as I know. I have kept in touch with the girl who was my friend back then. They live life completely without God.

I remember another instance that happened that might bear repeating here. I had just returned to Michigan after being gone for a few years. I was in my mid-twenties and I was waiting to start working at Blue Cross Blue Shield in downtown Detroit. While I was waiting I needed to make some money. I took a couple of jobs. One was waitressing. The other was a job in a bridal salon selling gowns to brides to be. One day the boss of the salon took us over to see another salon so we could learn about the different kinds of laces.

That salon happened to be located underground in a ‘basement boutique’ just below an upscale Fur Salon. In order to get downstairs to the bridal shop, we were taken through the fur salon. We passed by a lady who was trying on a very expensive fur coat. When she looked at us, she immediately got a look of disgust on her face. You would think we had three heads by the way she looked at us. Once we were downstairs we were given a message that we were never to go that route through their store anymore.

Their patron had been very upset by our presence and insisted that we not be allowed in the store again! When I heard this, I thought it was pretty strange because we were just following the boss. It hadn’t been our idea to go that way. Something in me welled up. I was usually not very outspoken, but it had made me feel like a piece of trash. I did not like the way it made me feel at all. I told my boss that I was not going to stay there a moment longer and that I was going home for the day.

I left, never to look back. I had never been in a situation quite like that before. Being treated like a person who is less than human is very degrading. Yet, people are doing it to others every day. Many think that their money makes them into something very big and important. Stepping on people is no big deal to them. Then you have the hardened criminal type who are people that have been hurt so much they are out to hurt anyone they can and they have a seared conscience. Anyone who is acting like God is not real is trying to deny what was written; literally engraved on their hearts…

Ecclesiastes 3:11

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. 

Saints, we have to pray for the lost. People who deny God are usually doing it because they have been terribly hurt somewhere down the dark roads of their past. Many have been so abused themselves, in one way or another, that they have just walked into living out the only thing they know – wickedness. After all, whoever taught them anything different? I know it is hard to look at serial killers and the Hitler’s and Osama Bin Laden’s of the world and try to feel any kind of compassion toward them, but we have to remember that God does.

No man’s sin is anything less than sin in God’s eyes. All sin is sin. Sure, in judgment, there will be varying degrees of punishment based on a man’s crimes. But it is not for us to decide. We have to realize that God will do exactly the same for them as He did for us if they repent and seek Him for forgiveness and new life. And that can happen in a person’s last breaths on this earth. We don’t know these things. Only God does.

In the meantime, though the wicked think they will escape disaster, they are fooling themselves. Here’s just a few of the over 400 verses on the wicked or wickedness that I found in the Bible on Bible Gateway…

Proverbs 2:10-15

When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths;

Proverbs 5:22

His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin.

Proverbs 11:3-9

The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.

When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, and the hope of the unjust perishes.
The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead.
The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

Any person can open the Bible and see what happens to the wicked. Their day is coming. Though it tarries it will not delay in reaching their doorstep. But my oh my how the tables will turn. Our sweet man of God, David, says that the helpless commit themselves to the Lord. Friends, when we look at that word, let’s not think of some poor beggar on the street. How many of us, even those of us living in the finest of homes who love God find themselves in a seemingly hopeless situation on occasion?

David asked the Lord to remember the humble. This is a great prayer. Do you see how unselfish it is? David was actually interceding for those who were struggling here – not himself. God appreciates unselfish prayers. They really get the job done. That’s the Lord praying out His loving will through us when it shows concern for others. And we know from the scriptures and our own experiences that God does remember the humble, don’t we?

Anyone who is poor, humble, fatherless, widowed, in any need of any kind can call on God. He gives us the wisdom we need to handle life’s challenges. He hears the cry of those in need of help, no matter what the need may be. David asked the Lord to break the arm of the wicked. He was tired of seeing them get away with anything and everything, including murder, while so many people seemed to get trampled on.

There is a verse the Lord showed me in the Bible several years ago. I knew He was speaking it directly to me and I knew it was for a time to come in my future. Oh God is so good to those who love Him. Actually He is even good to those who don’t because it is Him who keeps every breath going in and out of their nostrils every day – they just don’t realize it! Ha!

Ecclesiastes 2:26a  (most of the verse but not all for the purpose of this conversation)

For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. 

You see saints, God always works things out for the good for those who love Him (see Romans 8:28). Those who truly love God will be so blessed. And guess what? All that hard work that the wicked does to gain his wealth will be turned over to those who please God – hallelujah! We will own houses we did not build – buildings that we didn’t have to construct; new cars we didn’t have to pay for. God can take the wealth of the wicked and hand it over to the people of God in an instant – it is no big deal for Him – praise His name forever!

Look at what He did when the Israelites came out of Egypt…

Exodus 3:15-22

Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’¹⁶ Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; ¹⁷ and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ ¹⁸ Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ ¹⁹ But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. ²⁰ So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go. ²¹ And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. ²² But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

When God brought His children out of bondage, He brought them out with the enemies’ riches – just like the verse in Ecclesiastes talks about. When God delivers us from bondage and sorrow, He does it all the way! He wants His kids to be happy, healthy (both physically and spiritually) and wealthy. Then they can bless others – like the New Life Dream Centers we talked about yesterday – hallelujah! How would you like to go up to someone at church who has been struggling and buy them a house or a car? Hmmmm…..wouldn’t that be a great blessing? Hallelujah! God would enjoy that immensely!

He takes what the enemy does to us and turns it completely on its head. What the enemy thought he was getting away with becomes a major blessing to the victim. God has a wonderful way of turning things upside down – I know, because I am a witness. I have seen Him turn my sorrow to joy. He has given me back so much already of what the enemy has stolen in my life with more en route every single day – God is a good God, yes He is! Look at what the following verse tells us…

Jeremiah 31:12-14

Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the Lord—
For wheat and new wine and oil, for the young of the flock and the herd; their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all.

“Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old, together; for I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow. I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord.”

So what seemed like doom and gloom to us can suddenly be turned into rejoicing and dancing. I remember when my husband and I first started courting almost 4 years ago. We were invited to a Christmas party. Even though it was in a private Christian home, they had live music played for the guests. Denny and I danced together for the first time. I felt like Cinderella at the Ball with my prince and I do not believe that my feet were even touching the ground.

Did I see this coming back in 2007 when I drove across the Florida state line crying my heart out with no money, no job, no home and uncertainty about the future? Absolutely not. I had to walk it out by faith. I had to trust God to help me one simple day at a time. And the Lord started giving me all these promises from His word that were just for me and I knew it. So I took Him at His word even when it seemed a long time in coming.

Then one day, all that crying turned into tears of joy. He brought me a new godly husband who I adore. He brought us the new puppy. He brought the kids back. It sounds just like a country music song being played backwards – laugh out loud! Praise God! Friends, God can truly take what the devil has stolen and turn it on its head so that you and I are the ones who come out on top. It is you and I that the Lord makes rich and full of joy…

Proverbs 10:22

The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.

And look at this…

Joel 2:25

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.

In the end justice will prevail. God makes certain of it. Though it seems to tarry, the Lord will take vengeance on the wicked and He is never slack in anything that He does. As His children, we always have hope in Him. We always have Him on our side when we submit to His will and His way. This kind of life is available for everyone, but not everyone wants to do things God’s way or anyone else’s way for that matter.

That’s why many choose to live in a box on the streets of the world – they just do not want to be told what to do. So they live like animals. How that must break the Lord’s heart. When people see that they look up at God as if to blame Him, when all the while it was their God given choice to live that way. The Lord always respects our wishes, even if it goes in the direct opposite direction of His will for their lives. But we who love God will keep His commandments…

1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

For you and I there is a great hope for an expected end – one of prosperity and blessing. An end that will be a blessing to God, to others and to ourselves. The Lord can indeed make the tables turn on the wicked so that all their hard work was indeed vanity, because they leave this life without their riches with no heavenly rewards, and those who love God get the stuff, the blessings and the rewards! Hallelujah! Thank You Lord!

  

Questions:

What was David crying out to God about in the opening of today’s Psalm?

What do the wicked think about God as described in this chapter?

Who does the Lord help. Give details?

What does the Lord hear according to David?

What does God delight in doing for His children according to the Ecclesiastes verse?

In what ways have you seen God do miraculous things for you lately?

What are you believing God for in the way of prosperity? Have you written your visions for the future and called in those provisions?

Luke 3:17

His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

There are three main points to consider from today’s study…

God hears the prayers of the humble

God will deal justly with the wicked in due time

God brings His children out of bondage with great spoil

                        

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for always hearing the cries of the humble. Father thank You for hearing me when I cry out to You with any need I have. You are faithful, and those who are against me will not prosper. Show me anything that I do not understand where Your provisions for me are concerned. According to Your Word You can take that which the wicked has stored up and hand them over to the righteous. Father, I am believing You for a great abundant harvest so that I can be a blessing to many people across the globe as You direct me. Thank You for taking such good care of all who come to You. In Jesus name. Amen.

How have you seen the Lord work on Your behalf where evil people have been concerned?

Give Him a shout of praise and thanks!

And God Said… You fill in the blanks.

                                                 

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, 

and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.