Psalms 10:1 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? These were the words of king David at a time when he was encompassed by his enemies from every side. This is not a far-fetched thought by the man after God's own heart. There comes a time when we feel that the Lord is far from us, no longer "a very present help in trouble," but an inaccessible mountain, into which no man would be able to climb. How then do we reconcile Ps. 10:1 and 46:1? The presence of God is the joy of his people, but any suspicion of his absence is distracting beyond measure. Let us, then, ever remember that the Lord is nigh us. The refiner is never far from the mouth of the furnace when his gold is in the fire, and the Son of God is always walking in the midst of the flames when his holy children are cast into them. I mean, He literally did this for the three Hebrew boys. He will do the same for us. His love endures forever. As soon as we