Psalms 10
1 Why, O Lord, hast thou retired afar off? why dost thou slight us in our wants, in the time of trouble?
Lord, why are you so distant? Why do you hide from me in times of trouble?
2 Whilst the wicked man is proud, the poor is set on fire: they are caught in the counsels which they devise.
The wicked chase down the poor with impunity. May they be trapped by the evil schemes they themselves invented.
3 For the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul: and the unjust man is blessed.
For the wicked boast about what they want to do. They praise the greedy, but treat the Lord with contempt.
4 The sinner hath provoked the Lord according to the multitude of his wrath he will not seek him:
The wicked are too proud to come to God. In all their thinking they never consider God.
5 God is not before his eyes: his ways are filthy at all times. Thy judgments are removed from his sight: he shall rule over all his enemies.
What they do always seems to go well. They're unaware of God's judgments. They ridicule all their enemies.
6 For he hath said in his heart: I shall not be moved from generation to generation, and shall be without evil.
They tell themselves, “Nothing bad is going to happen to me. I'll never be in trouble!”
7 His mouth is full of cursing, and of bitterness, and of deceit: under his tongue are labour and sorrow.
Their speech is full of cursing, lies, and threats; their tongues are always ready to spread trouble and cause evil.
8 He sitteth in ambush with the rich in private places, that he may kill the innocent.
They hide out in ambush in the villages, ready to kill innocent passers-by. They are always on the lookout for their next victim.
9 His eyes are upon the poor man: He lieth in wait in secret like a lion in his den. He lieth in ambush that he may catch the poor man: to catch the poor, whilst he draweth him to him.
They lie in ambush like a lion ready to attack, ready to leap out from their hiding place to seize their victim. They capture the helpless, throwing a net over them.
10 In his net he will bring him down, he will crouch and fall, when he shall have power over the poor.
Their victims are knocked down, laid low. They fall under the strength of the wicked.
11 For he hath said in his heart: God hath forgotten, he hath turned away his face not to see to the end.
They tell themselves, “God won't notice. He's looking the other way. He won't ever see anything.”
12 Arise, O Lord God, let thy hand be exalted: forget not the poor.
Take a stand, Lord! Raise your hand to strike! Don't forget those who can't defend themselves.
13 Wherefore hath the wicked provoked God? for he hath said in his heart: He will not require it.
Why do the wicked think they can treat God with such contempt? Why do they think that God won't make them accountable?
14 Thou seest it, for thou considerest labour and sorrow: that thou mayst deliver them into thy hands. To thee is the poor man left: thou wilt be a helper to the orphan.
But you do see the trouble and grief they cause. Take it into your own hands. The helpless trust in you; you defend the orphans.
15 Break thou the arm of the sinner and of the malignant: his sin shall be sought, and shall not be found.
Destroy the power of the wicked, those evil people! Call each of them to account until there are none left!
16 The Lord shall reign to eternity, yea, for ever and ever: ye Gentiles shall perish from his land.
Lord, you are King forever and ever! The nations will vanish from their lands.
17 The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor: thy ear hath heard the preparation of their heart.
Lord, you have heard the longing cries of those who are suffering. You will encourage them, for you will listen to them.
18 To judge for the fatherless and for the humble, that man may no more presume to magnify himself upon earth.
You will defend the rights of orphans and the oppressed so that those who are mere human beings here on earth will never terrorize them again.
