“Why do you stand far away, O LORD? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 ESV).
The psalmist, writing to God on behalf of his people, voiced a heartfelt lament in the face of injustice and suffering. He did not question God’s existence or faithfulness, but expressed the painful experience of God’s seeming distance when the wicked prospered and the helpless were oppressed. By asking why the LORD “stood far away” and “hid” Himself, the writer used vivid, relational language to describe the felt absence of God during crisis. This opening cry set the tone for the entire psalm, moving from honest complaint to confident appeal. The psalmist went on to describe the arrogance and cruelty of the wicked, but this first verse framed the struggle: the righteous wrestled with God’s timing and apparent silence. Yet even in lament, the psalm pointed forward in hope, for the very act of calling out to God assumed that He was listening and would act in justice.
When we walk through seasons where God feels distant, we can cry out to Him in lament. Like the psalmist, we can bring our confusion, pain, and questions to the LORD instead of burying them. We must remember that “standing far off” and “hiding” describe how God feels to us, not who He truly is. As we see injustice around us or experience trials in our own lives, we can trust that God’s silence is not God’s absence. In these dark seasons, God often uses the felt distance to stir a deeper hunger for Himself, teaching us to seek Him more earnestly. Lament becomes a doorway to renewed faith when we keep calling on Him. Even when we cry, “Where are You, Lord?” we are still running toward Him. And when He responds—when the long night gives way to the morning light—we do not just rejoice in His help; we love Him more for who He is. In this way, waiting in the darkness becomes a pathway to greater trust, deeper affection, and a stronger hope, because He is still near, even when He feels far off.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we confess that there are times when You seem far away and silent in our troubles. Teach us to bring our laments to You with honest hearts and trusting faith. Help us to wait for Your justice and rest in Your nearness, even when we cannot see it. Strengthen us to keep calling on You, trusting in Your perfect timing and response. In Jesus’ name, amen.