Psalm 10:3-4

Now we see it as a form of idolatry. We see it generating boasting - he boasts of his heart's desire. He vaunts himself and he drives himself toward what he covets. Think of this in relation to Helel. Such a clear example. He drove himself to where he went to war against God, a war that anybody in their right mind could see that they could not possibly win. But his pride obliterated the reality of what he was doing. And if it affects Helel that way who was able to see God with his own eyes, what is it going to do to a man? It will drive him in the same way against God and it will drive him toward what he covets.

We can see then very clearly what they seek is mammon - mammon not just being money, but material things. This is why Jesus said you cannot serve God and mammon, because the proud is actually serving the mammon. It has become his god. You cannot serve God and mammon because they are opposites. See how pride drives a wedge between a man and God? It is because it is plowing the way before the person, and opening up an easy path to go in the wrong direction. We see, then, this person renouncing or defying God while vaunting himself. Therefore he puts an inordinate confidence in himself and his abilities, but he plows right on without seeking God's counsel through prayer, study, or the counsel of others.

The commentators insist that even though it says there that God is in none of his thoughts that the person is not really an atheist. Where would you get an idea like this? It comes from things like the publican and the Pharisee parable. Was the Pharisee vaunting himself? Was the Pharisee exalting himself? Was the Pharisee full of pride? Did he go into the temple to pray? Did he believe in God? Yes he did. That is why the commentators can say that the proud does not put God out of his mind.

He is not really an atheist, but he has a perverted comparison of what God is. He renounces God, maybe not verbally, but he renounces Him in what he does, and his attitude toward himself and others, and it shows that he is really not seeking God. So the proud may openly express belief in God, but the proud also choose not to have Him totally in their lives. And so they are selective, especially in application to themselves - I am talking about the Word of God, anything that would reduce their self-esteem.

Psalm 10:3-4

So they claim that God has forgotten, that God will not hold him accountable for his evil deeds, and that no trouble will come his way. The psalmist asks with amazement why or how the wicked dare to revile God and imagine that God does not see evil. And he answers this question, calming his feelings of disturbance and anxiety at the presence of evil. After all, God does see their evil deeds and will take care of the ramifications in the judgment.