Judgment on the wicked.

v1: The godly live among the wicked. The observation is that the godly suffer, while the wicked prosper. The effect is that the faithful seem to have vanished. The psalmist cries out, "Help, Lord", in the face of apparent injustice.

v2-4: The wicked are revealed by their words (Ps 10.6-7); they lie, use flattery, boasting. They claim to be independent and self-sufficient, neither needing God nor wanting God (see Ps 10.6).

v5: Answering the psalmist's prayer (v1) and desire (v3), the Lord promises to act on behalf of the poor and needy.

v6: In contrast to the wicked, the Lord's words are pure, no error, no deceit, no flattery, no half-truth; it is by such words that the poor and needy are set in a place of safety.

In times of challenge and difficulty, we need the strength of the pure word of God; we must also learn to speak His words, and have our lives saturated in His word.

The fact that God's word is pure and holy implies that He too is utterly holy; we also find that His word leads us into holy living.

v7: Confidence that God will honour His word, and preserve His people.

v8: Our hostile environment, when the wicked are not molested, and wrong is promoted. Such is our world; these words are so helpful for us today.