Psalms 10

1 Why, O Lord, hast thou retired afar off? why dost thou slight us in our wants, in the time of trouble?

Why, YHWH, do You stand at a distance? Do You hide in times of adversity?

2 Whilst the wicked man is proud, the poor is set on fire: they are caught in the counsels which they devise.

Through the pride of the wicked, Is the poor inflamed, They are caught in schemes that they devised.

3 For the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul: and the unjust man is blessed.

Because the wicked has boasted Of the desire of his soul, And he has blessed a dishonest gainer, He has despised YHWH.

4 The sinner hath provoked the Lord according to the multitude of his wrath he will not seek him:

The wicked does not inquire according to the height of his face. “There is no God!” [are] all his schemes.

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.

His ways writhe at all times, Your judgments [are] on high before him, All his adversaries—he puffs at them.

6 For he hath said in his heart: I shall not be moved from generation to generation, and shall be without evil.

He has said in his heart, “I am not moved, [And am] not in calamity to generation and generation.”

7 His mouth is full of cursing, and of bitterness, and of deceit: under his tongue are labour and sorrow.

His mouth is full of oaths, And deceits, and fraud: Under his tongue [is] perverseness and iniquity,

8 He sitteth in ambush with the rich in private places, that he may kill the innocent.

He sits in an ambush of the villages, He slays the innocent in secret places. His eyes secretly watch for the afflicted,

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.

He lies in wait in a secret place, as a lion in a covert. He lies in wait to catch the poor, He catches the poor, drawing him into his net.

10 In his net he will bring him down, he will crouch and fall, when he shall have power over the poor.

He is bruised—he bows down, The afflicted has fallen by his mighty ones.

11 For he hath said in his heart: God hath forgotten, he hath turned away his face not to see to the end.

He said in his heart, “God has forgotten, He has hid His face, He has never seen.”

12 Arise, O Lord God, let thy hand be exalted: forget not the poor.

Arise, O YHWH! O God, lift up Your hand! Do not forget the humble.

13 Wherefore hath the wicked provoked God? for he hath said in his heart: He will not require it.

Why has the wicked despised God? He has said in his heart, “It is not required.”

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.

You have seen, For You behold perverseness and anger; By giving into Your hand, The afflicted leave [it] on You, You have been a helper of the fatherless.

15 Break thou the arm of the sinner and of the malignant: his sin shall be sought, and shall not be found.

Break the arm of the wicked and the evil, Seek out his wickedness, find none;

16 The Lord shall reign to eternity, yea, for ever and ever: ye Gentiles shall perish from his land.

YHWH [is] King for all time and forever, The nations have perished out of His land!

17 The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor: thy ear hath heard the preparation of their heart.

You have heard the desire of the humble, O YHWH. You prepare their heart; You cause Your ear to attend,

18 To judge for the fatherless and for the humble, that man may no more presume to magnify himself upon earth.

To judge the fatherless and bruised: He adds no more to oppress—man of the earth!