Psalms 10
1 Lord, why are you so distant? Why do you hide from me in times of trouble?
Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
2 The wicked chase down the poor with impunity. May they be trapped by the evil schemes they themselves invented.
In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise.
3 For the wicked boast about what they want to do. They praise the greedy, but treat the Lord with contempt.
For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
4 The wicked are too proud to come to God. In all their thinking they never consider God.
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.
5 What they do always seems to go well. They're unaware of God's judgments. They ridicule all their enemies.
He is secure in his ways at all times; Your lofty judgments are far from him; he sneers at all his foes.
6 They tell themselves, “Nothing bad is going to happen to me. I'll never be in trouble!”
He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”
7 Their speech is full of cursing, lies, and threats; their tongues are always ready to spread trouble and cause evil.
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
8 They hide out in ambush in the villages, ready to kill innocent passers-by. They are always on the lookout for their next victim.
He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.
9 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.
He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net.
10 Their victims are knocked down, laid low. They fall under the strength of the wicked.
They are crushed and beaten down; the hapless fall prey to his strength.
11 They tell themselves, “God won't notice. He's looking the other way. He won't ever see anything.”
He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”
12 Take a stand, Lord! Raise your hand to strike! Don't forget those who can't defend themselves.
Arise, O LORD! Lift up Your hand, O God! Do not forget the helpless.
13 Why do the wicked think they can treat God with such contempt? Why do they think that God won't make them accountable?
Why has the wicked man renounced God? He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.”
14 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.
But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Destroy the power of the wicked, those evil people! Call each of them to account until there are none left!
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found.
16 Lord, you are King forever and ever! The nations will vanish from their lands.
The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.
17 Lord, you have heard the longing cries of those who are suffering. You will encourage them, for you will listen to them.
You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,
18 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.
to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more.
