Wisdom Books Psalms

Atheists or God-followers

Discover Jesus as: King of Glory Psalms 10-12 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 397 of 730
Downloads

Lesson

Watch on YouTube

Audio Only

Teaching Notes

INTRO

Today we’re reading Psalms 10—12, but we’ll be studying Psalm 10. I encourage you, as we read through the book of Psalms, to slow down and read each psalm, even if we don’t specifically study it. As we study our selected psalms, we’re looking for how the coming Messiah is presented. That won’t happen in every psalm, but it will happen in most. Our phrase that we’re starting with for our study of Psalms is King of Glory. Psalm 10 was originally a part of the ninth psalm.1 The ninth psalm now presents confidence in “the sure coming of divine justice,” while the tenth psalm’s concern is “injustice is rampant and God seems disinterested.”2 Psalm 10 carries a sense of urgency, asking for God to deliver them immediately from their enemies.3

TEACHING

Psalm 10:1-11: Psalm 10 has no title or instructions, and there is no author acknowledged specifically for this psalm. It begins with asking God why He is so far away and why He is hiding when the psalmist is in trouble (vv. 1–3). These are words of lament, and while the author was upset as he wrote, his focus seems to be on the issues with the wicked, not anger at God.4 His question is why God seems to be apathetic to his needs. In fact, the concern was that the wicked do not believe God exists and as such do not believe in being possibly judged by God (vv. 4–11). Nelson’s Commentary points out that the wicked “turn reality upside down by praising evil and spurning God.”5 There is arrogance in the belief that there is no God. This speaks to atheists who do not believe in God, rather than agnostics who do not care that God exists.

I feel like our society is moving toward atheism. There has been a rise of “nones” who believe in nothing. Researcher Gervais has concluded there are more atheists than surveys have reported. A 2018 survey of 2,000 people found that 26 percent identified as atheists. When the statistical percentages are extended toward the entire American population, there could be as many as 64,000,000 atheists in the United States.6 Pew Research Center found that atheists tend to be male (68 percent), younger (born after 1980), Caucasian (78 percent), and highly educated (43 percent have college degrees). Recent surveys have found an increase from 36.6 to 55.8 million of those who indicate they are “nones.”7

Michael Lipka of the Pew Research Center has portrayed ten facts about atheists in America:

  1. The number of American atheists has almost doubled over the past few years.
  2. American atheists tend to be male and “younger than the overall population.”
  3. American atheists tend to associate with Democrats and “with political liberalism.”
  4. Eight percent of American atheists believe in God or in some “universal spirit.”
  5. Religion is not important to nine out of ten atheists.
  6. Few American atheists (9 percent) talk about their atheistic views weekly, and 65 percent seldom or never do.
  7. They do not look to religion to answer questions or deal with moral issues.
  8. Mainstream Americans like people who are members of major religious groups more than atheists.
  9. Over one-half of Americans would not support an atheist becoming president.
  10. Over half of Americans say it’s possible to be moral without believing in God.8

Our hearts should be breaking over these numbers. How is this even possible? Because we’re not talking about Jesus? Because we’re waiting for these atheists to walk into a church? Because we’re expecting them to come to us? Regardless of the reasons, we’re not reaching those who are proclaimed atheists. And, somewhere along the road, these individuals have been hurt through the church. We can never argue people into the kingdom of God. That’s why Jesus came in, and He’s got this because He knows we cannot do it. We are all sinners, and sin leads to death (Romans 6:23). God loves us so much He sent His Son to die for us, to take away that sin. It takes just as much faith to believe in God as it does to deny His existence!

Psalm 10:12–18: If we do not believe in God, things will not get any better for us (v. 15). But “the Lord is King forever and ever” (v. 16).

CLOSING

Former atheist and writer C. S. Lewis wrote: “I am trying to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

Will you give Jesus a chance? Will you humble yourself today and ask God to show you that this is real? If you will do this, God will show up in your life. He loves you so much that He died for you! Ask for God’s forgiveness by saying, “Lord, I was so arrogant that I couldn’t see you. Are you real?” I can guarantee you that God will show up in response. When you trust in Jesus, it doesn’t mean that you have all the answers, but it means that you have something to hold on to!

  1. Earl Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, and H. Wayne House, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), p. 654.

  2. John MacArthur, John MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2005), p. 604.

  3. Nelson’s Commentary, p. 654.

  4. MacArthur, p. 604.

  5. Nelson’s Commentary, p. 654.

  6. “How many American atheists are there really?”, May 17, 2017; available at https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/4/13/15258496/american-atheists-how-many.

  7. Michael Lipka, “10 facts about atheists,” June 1, 2016; available at http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/01/10-facts-about-atheists/.

  8. Lipka; available at http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/01/10-facts-about-atheists/.

Questions

  1. What were the psalmists’ feelings about how God handles the wicked? Do you sometimes feel the same way? Where can you go in Scripture to combat that lie of God’s inactiveness?
  2. What is the difference between the pain of a believer who says “God has forgotten” and the sinner who vainly takes comfort in the idea that God has forgotten (Psalm 10:11)?
  3. What did David’s friends mean when they told him to “escape to the mountain like a bird” (Psalm 11:1)? What was David’s reaction to this?
  4. David had complete trust in God (Psalms 11—12). How do you know that God is in complete control of your circumstances? (Exodus 2:23–25; 3:6–15; Matthew 19:26)
  5. Compare the vain words of man to the words and promises of God (Psalm 12; 2 Corinthians 1:20). What are some promises that you began to doubt but then God proved Himself faithful?
  6. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Psalms 10—12 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin Psalm 12:7–8

“You, LORD, will guard us; You will protect us from this generation forever. The wicked wander everywhere, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.”

The Lord will guard you and protect you, even in a world full of wicked people wandering everywhere: people boasting in themselves, living with greed, despising the Lord, and believing God doesn’t exist. God allows hard things to happen in this fallen world, and you may not understand why. Sometimes His protection comes in the form of peace and strength in the middle of a trial. Sometimes God’s protection doesn’t look like you thought it would. You endure a car accident or a house fire, a bad word spoken to you, or a sickness. You don’t feel protected. Trust that God is in your midst. He sees something you may not see, and He’s working on the bigger picture. He is with you.

With faith in Jesus, trust and believe His promises. When you find yourself in a fearful situation, pray and believe God is your shield, your horn of salvation, your stronghold, your refuge, and your Savior. When you call to Him, you will be saved. Rest in knowing whatever trial you face today the Lord will protect and guard you.

“You, Lord, will guard us; You will protect us from this generation forever. The wicked wander everywhere, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.”

— Psalm 12:7–8

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • 2 Samuel 22:3-4 — “My God, my mountain where I seek refuge. My shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies.”
  • Psalm 10:3–4 — “For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings; the one who is greedy curses and despises the Lord. In all his scheming, the wicked arrogantly thinks: ‘There is no accountability, since God does not exist.’”
  • 2 Thessalonians 3:3 — “But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one.”