◄ Psalm 10:11 ►
He says to himself, "God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees."
Study Bible
He says to himself,

The wicked man’s inward reasoning exposes a heart hardened by pride. He persuades himself that evil can be practiced without divine notice or moral consequence, revealing the deceitfulness of the human heart described in Jeremiah 17:9.

Psa 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”…
Psa 53:1 For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath.…
Job 22:13 Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge…

“God has forgotten;

He imagines that God has lost interest in the oppressed and has failed to remember their suffering. Scripture repeatedly denies such neglect: the Lord knows every thought and act, and He remembers both the afflicted and those who afflict them.

Isa 49:14 But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;…
Psa 77:9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has His anger…
Isa 40:27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and why do you assert, O Israel…

He hides His face

God’s hidden face can describe the withdrawal of visible favor or immediate intervention, as seen in Deuteronomy 31:17–18. The wicked twists God’s patience into permission, mistaking delayed judgment for indifference.

Deu 31:17-18 On that day My anger will burn against them,…
Psa 30:7 O LORD, You favored me; You made my mountain stand strong.…
Isa 54:8 In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment,…

and never sees.”

The denial of God’s sight rejects His omniscience. Nothing is concealed from Him; every person and deed lies open before His eyes, and He will bring every work into judgment (Hebrews 4:13; Ecclesiastes 12:14).

Psa 94:7 They say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob…
Ezk 9:9 He replied, “The iniquity of the house of Israel…
Isa 29:15 Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD.…

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Wicked Person
The speaker in this verse is a wicked individual who arrogantly believes that God is not observing his actions.

2. God
The omniscient and omnipresent deity who, contrary to the wicked person's belief, sees and knows all.

3. The Oppressed
Although not directly mentioned in this verse, the context of Psalm 10 involves the oppression of the innocent and the poor by the wicked.
Teaching Points
God's Omniscience
Despite the wicked's belief, God is fully aware of all actions and thoughts. Believers should find comfort in God's omniscience, knowing that He sees and will act in His perfect timing.

The Folly of Arrogance
The arrogance of the wicked leads them to a false sense of security. Christians are reminded to remain humble and aware of God's presence in their lives.

Trust in God's Justice
Even when it seems like evil goes unpunished, believers can trust that God will ultimately bring justice. This encourages patience and faith in God's timing.

Encouragement for the Oppressed
Those who feel forgotten or unseen by God can take heart that He is aware of their plight and will not abandon them.

Living with Integrity
Knowing that God sees all should motivate believers to live lives of integrity, even when no one else is watching.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the belief that "God has forgotten" affect the behavior of the wicked, and what are the consequences of such a belief?

2. In what ways can believers remind themselves of God's omniscience in their daily lives?

3. How can the assurance of God's justice provide comfort to those who are oppressed or suffering?

4. What practical steps can Christians take to avoid the arrogance displayed by the wicked in Psalm 10:11?

5. How do other scriptures, such as Proverbs 15:3 and Hebrews 4:13, reinforce the message of Psalm 10:11, and how can these connections deepen our understanding of God's character?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 94:7
This verse echoes the sentiment of Psalm 10:11, where the wicked believe that God does not see or care about their actions.

Proverbs 15:3
This verse counters the wicked's belief by affirming that the eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing both the wicked and the good.

Hebrews 4:13
This New Testament verse reinforces the idea that nothing is hidden from God's sight, and everything is uncovered before Him.
Sermons
A Theological Difficulty, a Haughty Impiety, an Earnest PrayerD. Thomas, D. D.Psalm 10:1-18
Man's Cry for a Solution of the Felt Distance of His MakerJ. Parker, D. D.Psalm 10:1-18
The Righteous GodC. Short Psalm 10:1-18
Times of Darkness and FearW. Forsyth Psalm 10:1-18
Why? Or, Hard Facts and Puzzling QuestionsC. Clemance Psalm 10:1-18
Black ArtsW. L. Watkinson.Psalm 10:7-18
OppressionThomas Brooks.Psalm 10:7-18
People
David, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Covers, Face, Forgotten, Heart, Hid, Hidden, Hides, Hideth, Memory, Says, Sees, Thinks
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 10:11

     5195   veil
     8779   materialism, nature of

Psalm 10:2-11

     5793   arrogance

Psalm 10:4-11

     6169   godlessness

Psalm 10:8-11

     5348   injustice, nature and source

Psalm 10:9-11

     5896   irreverence

Library
One Saying from Three Men
'The wicked hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved.' --PSALM x. 6. 'Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.' --PSALM xvi. 8. 'And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.' --PSALM xxx. 6. How differently the same things sound when said by different men! Here are three people giving utterance to almost the same sentiment of confidence. A wicked man says it, and it is insane presumption and defiance. A good man says it, having been lulled into false security by easy times, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Poor Man's Friend
"The poor committeth himself unto thee."--Psalm 10:14. GOD IS THE POOR MAN'S FRIEND; the poor man, in His helplessness and despair, leaves his case in the hands of God, and God undertakes to care for him. In the days of David,--and I suppose, in this respect, the world has but little improved,--the poor man was the victim of almost everybody's cruelty, and sometimes he was very shamefully oppressed. If he sought redress for his wrongs, he generally only increased them, for he was regarded as a rebel …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 53: 1907

Jerome
I, Jerome, [2568] son of Eusebius, of the city of Strido, which is on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia and was overthrown by the Goths, up to the present year, that is, the fourteenth of the Emperor Theodosius, have written the following: Life of Paul the monk, one book of Letters to different persons, an Exhortation to Heliodorus, Controversy of Luciferianus and Orthodoxus, Chronicle of universal history, 28 homilies of Origen on Jeremiah and Ezekiel, which I translated from Greek into Latin, …
Various—Jerome and Gennadius Lives of Illustrious Men.

Look we Then, Beloved, what Hardships in Labors and Sorrows Men Endure...
3. Look we then, beloved, what hardships in labors and sorrows men endure, for things which they viciously love, and by how much they think to be made by them more happy, by so much more unhappily covet. How much for false riches, how much for vain honors, how much for affections of games and shows, is of exceeding peril and trouble most patiently borne! We see men hankering after money, glory, lasciviousness, how, that they may arrive at their desires, and having gotten not lose them, they endure …
St. Augustine—On Patience

The Tests of Love to God
LET us test ourselves impartially whether we are in the number of those that love God. For the deciding of this, as our love will be best seen by the fruits of it, I shall lay down fourteen signs, or fruits, of love to God, and it concerns us to search carefully whether any of these fruits grow in our garden. 1. The first fruit of love is the musing of the mind upon God. He who is in love, his thoughts are ever upon the object. He who loves God is ravished and transported with the contemplation of …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

These Things, My Brother Aurelius, Most Dear unto Me...
38. These things, my brother Aurelius, most dear unto me, and in the bowels of Christ to be venerated, so far as He hath bestowed on me the ability Who through thee commanded me to do it, touching work of Monks, I have not delayed to write; making this my chief care, lest good brethren obeying apostolic precepts, should by lazy and disobedient be called even prevaricators from the Gospel: that they which work not, may at the least account them which do work to be better than themselves without doubt. …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks.

The Situation of the Jews During this Period.
As we have seen in earlier chapters, the declarations of Holy Writ make it very clear that Israel will yet be restored to God's favor and be rehabilitated in Palestine. But before that glad time arrives, the Jews have to pass through a season of sore trouble and affliction, during which God severely chastises them for their sins and punishes them for the rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah. Fearful indeed have been the past experiences of "the nation of the weary feet" but a darker path than …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Question Lxxxiii of Prayer
I. Is Prayer an Act of the Appetitive Powers? Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer based on Friendship II. Is it Fitting to Pray? Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer as a True Cause S. Augustine, On the Sermon on the Mount, II. iii. 14 " On the Gift of Perseverance, vii. 15 III. Is Prayer an Act of the Virtue of Religion? Cardinal Cajetan, On the Humility of Prayer S. Augustine, On Psalm cii. 10 " Of the Gift of Perseverance, xvi. 39 IV. Ought We to Pray to God Alone? S. Augustine, Sermon, cxxvii. 2 V. …
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

Out of the Deep of Suffering and Sorrow.
Save me, O God, for the waters are come in even unto my soul: I am come into deep waters; so that the floods run over me.--Ps. lxix. 1, 2. I am brought into so great trouble and misery: that I go mourning all the day long.--Ps. xxxviii. 6. The sorrows of my heart are enlarged: Oh! bring Thou me out of my distress.--Ps. xxv. 17. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping: the Lord will receive my prayer.--Ps. vi. 8. In the multitude of the sorrows which I had in my heart, Thy comforts have refreshed …
Charles Kingsley—Out of the Deep

"And the Life. " How Christ is the Life.
This, as the former, being spoken indefinitely, may be universally taken, as relating both to such as are yet in the state of nature, and to such as are in the state of grace, and so may be considered in reference to both, and ground three points of truth, both in reference to the one, and in reference to the other; to wit, 1. That our case is such as we stand in need of his help, as being the Life. 2. That no other way but by him, can we get that supply of life, which we stand in need of, for he …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Life of Jerome.
The figures in parentheses, when not otherwise indicated, refer to the pages in this volume. For a full account of the Life, the translator must refer to an article (Hieronymus) written by him in Smith and Wace's Dictionary of Christian Biography. A shorter statement may suffice here, since the chief sources of information are contained in this volume, and to these reference will be continually made. Childhood and Youth. A.D. 345. Jerome was born at Stridon, near Aquileia, but in Pannonia, a place …
St. Jerome—The Principal Works of St. Jerome

The Revelation and Career of the Anti-Christ.
Who is the Anti-christ? Varied and wild have been the answers to this question. In pre-christian times there were many who regarded Antiochus Epiphanes as the one whom Daniel and the other prophets described. At the beginning of this dispensation Nero was looked upon as the predicted Man of Sin. After the Reformation the Papacy was selected as the fulfiller of the prophecies given through the Patmos seer. And in our day there have been those who consider the Kaiser to be the Son of Perdition. It …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Being Made Archbishop of Armagh, He Suffers Many Troubles. Peace Being Made, from Being Archbishop of Armagh He Becomes Bishop of Down.
[Sidenote: 1129] 19. (12). Meanwhile[365] it happened that Archbishop Cellach[366] fell sick: he it was who ordained Malachy deacon, presbyter and bishop: and knowing that he was dying he made a sort of testament[367] to the effect that Malachy ought to succeed him,[368] because none seemed worthier to be bishop of the first see. This he gave in charge to those who were present, this he commanded to the absent, this to the two kings of Munster[369] and to the magnates of the land he specially enjoined …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

He Does Battle for the Faith; He Restores Peace among those who were at Variance; He Takes in Hand to Build a Stone Church.
57. (32). There was a certain clerk in Lismore whose life, as it is said, was good, but his faith not so. He was a man of some knowledge in his own eyes, and dared to say that in the Eucharist there is only a sacrament and not the fact[718] of the sacrament, that is, mere sanctification and not the truth of the Body. On this subject he was often addressed by Malachy in secret, but in vain; and finally he was called before a public assembly, the laity however being excluded, in order that if it were …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

Letter Xlv (Circa A. D. 1120) to a Youth Named Fulk, who Afterwards was Archdeacon of Langres
To a Youth Named Fulk, Who Afterwards Was Archdeacon of Langres He gravely warns Fulk, a Canon Regular, whom an uncle had by persuasions and promises drawn back to the world, to obey God and be faithful to Him rather than to his uncle. To the honourable young man Fulk, Brother Bernard, a sinner, wishes such joy in youth as in old age he will not regret. 1. I do not wonder at your surprise; I should wonder if you were not suprised [sic] that I should write to you, a countryman to a citizen, a monk …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

The Desire of the Righteous Granted;
OR, A DISCOURSE OF THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S DESIRES. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR As the tree is known by its fruit, so is the state of a man's heart known by his desires. The desires of the righteous are the touchstone or standard of Christian sincerity--the evidence of the new birth--the spiritual barometer of faith and grace--and the springs of obedience. Christ and him crucified is the ground of all our hopes--the foundation upon which all our desires after God and holiness are built--and the root …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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