Psalm 10 (9):14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The prophet, countering his own judgment, speaks of God's patience. He declares that God has turned His face away and will no longer see; yet, he counters, "Thou seest, Thou lookest, and Thou art longsuffering, until the wicked are delivered into Thy hands." What does it signify to be delivered into Thy hands? The prophet conveys a human perspective, and his message is clear: You are patient, waiting for them to surrender to complete wickedness. Though You could have intervened and destroyed them at the onset, Your capacity for patience is boundless. You see their actions and do not seek immediate vengeance; instead, You hope for their repentance. When they remain obstinate, You administer punishment, though they derive no benefit from Your patience.

This statement seeks a straightforward clarification; however, if there is a misunderstanding, it becomes unclear. The wicked have uttered in their hearts, "God will not hold us accountable," as if the Almighty is swayed by toil and indignation, choosing to place them in His grasp; implying He fears the burdens of labor and fury, and thus would show leniency, lest their punishment be too intense or the storm of wrath disturb His peace. This mirrors the behavior of people who justify vengeance to escape the trouble of exertion or anger. The destitute relies solely on You. Indeed, he is in need, having forsaken all earthly possessions, so that You alone may be his source of hope.

Consider how You perceive affliction and anger. You are all-knowing, O Lord; nothing escapes Your awareness, whether in action or in the depths of thought. You are fully aware of their ailments and the outrage of those who mock them, as well as the distress of humanity. For You delve into the innermost thoughts of every individual, ‘testing hearts and wombs’ (Psalm 7:10). Observing all these matters, You remain patient, understanding that everything lies within Your sovereign control, leaving humanity without refuge. To You, even the beggar turns, and to the Syrian, You shall be a source of assistance—indeed, he looks to You for aid.

You observe the afflictions and turmoil, that he may be placed into Your care. Similarly, Symmachus interprets these words as: “You see, because you regard hardship and distress,” while Aquila states, “You know, because you pay attention to toil and anguish.” Even though those who engage in evil may repeatedly claim that You do not regard the deeds of humanity, we understand that You see and scrutinize their wrongdoings and will rightfully bring them to account. The destitute are entrusted to You, and to the elder, You will be a source of aid. Thus, I earnestly implore You:

You observe that you are gazing upon affliction and anger, so that he may be surrendered into your hands. For the term 'see' here, we should incorporate the phrase 'through yourself' or 'by yourself,' and then conclude with a punctuation mark, thus conveying the following meaning: even though the wicked may ponder their actions countless times, driven to insanity by Your patience, yet You, O God, perceive all things, comprehensively with Your vision. Therefore, You take great care in considering the afflictions faced by those wronged, as well as the anger or fear experienced by the wronged themselves. To see or contemplate signifies a meticulous examination of a known object in its parts.

Access to Good The Psalmist indicates that the impoverished are cared for by God, illustrating that those who are under His provision lack nothing of true goodness. To be entrusted to the righteous King signifies having access to all that is good.

You have made provisions for the needy and the orphan, guiding the beggar towards salvation and enriching him with heavenly blessings. In this way, He also aids the orphan, safeguarding and nurturing him as if he were His own child. An orphan, in this context, refers to one who formerly had the devil as his father due to his sinful ways but has now turned away from him through genuine repentance.

It is as though one were to assert that You cannot allow the unrighteous to go unpunished. Indeed, You observe their wrongdoing and defiance, and You also witness the anguish of the afflicted. Therefore, may he be handed over to You once his iniquity reaches its peak. It is Your role, O Father of all, to attend to the needy, particularly those who lack any other support, like orphans. For You are the protector of the orphan.

O Lord Almighty, great Prophet, consider the rage of the adversary against humanity, and grant refuge to the afflicted who suffers from this malevolent force, enveloping them in Your compassion. The destitute who relinquishes earthly wealth for Christ’s sake becomes a true orphan, for the world is destined to fade away. They share one Father in Heaven, as our Savior commanded, saying: ‘Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy will be done. And deliver us from the evil one. On whom will I look, but on the meek and humble, who tremble at My words’ (Mt. 6:9-13; Is. 66:2).

You observe the harsh suffering that the unjust impose upon their neighbors; You see all that happens, and according to Your will, the wicked will not evade Your judgment, thus You are the protector of the oppressed.