When Evil Hides But God Sees 

A reflection on Psalm 10

Sometimes when we read the Psalms, we see David expressing emotions many of us feel but may struggle to put into words.

Psalm 10 paints a very vivid picture of how the wicked operate:

“Like lions crouched in hiding, they wait to pounce on the helpless. Like hunters they capture the helpless and drag them away in nets.” — Psalm 10:9

David describes evil as something that hides, waits, and watches for the vulnerable. Like a lion crouching in the grass, the wicked look for opportunities to harm others when they least expect it.

This imagery may remind many readers of a warning found in the New Testament:

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” — 1 Peter 5:8

Both passages reveal something important: evil often operates quietly and strategically. It waits for moments of weakness, distraction, or isolation.

But Psalm 10 does not leave us in fear.

Throughout the psalm, David acknowledges something that the wicked often forget: God sees everything.

The wicked may say in their hearts that God does not notice their actions. They may believe that injustice goes unseen or that their plans will succeed without consequence. Yet David reminds us that this is not true.

Toward the end of the psalm, he declares with confidence:

“You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.” — Psalm 10:17

God sees the injustice others try to hide.
God hears the cries of those who are oppressed.
And God promises to defend the vulnerable.

For believers today, Psalm 10 carries both a warning and a comfort.

The warning is to remain spiritually alert. Scripture encourages us to stay watchful, grounded in faith, and connected to God and one another.

But the comfort is even greater: we are not left to face the darkness alone. God is attentive to the cries of His people and committed to justice.

Even when evil seems hidden, nothing is hidden from God.

And when we feel overwhelmed or discouraged by the brokenness of the world, we can remember that the Lord listens, the Lord sees, and the Lord will act.