Psalms 10
1 Lord, why are you so distant? Why do you hide from me in times of trouble?
Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself 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 the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued; let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3 For the wicked boast about what they want to do. They praise the greedy, but treat the Lord with contempt.
For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and the covetous renounceth, [yea], contemneth the LORD.
4 The wicked are too proud to come to God. In all their thinking they never consider God.
The wicked, in the pride of his countenance, [saith], He will not require [it]. All his thoughts are, 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.
His ways are firm at all times; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.
6 They tell themselves, “Nothing bad is going to happen to me. I'll never be in trouble!”
He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved: to all generations I shall not be in adversity.
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 and deceit and oppression: under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
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 sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the covert places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against 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 lurketh in the covert as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him in his net.
10 Their victims are knocked down, laid low. They fall under the strength of the wicked.
He croucheth, he boweth down, and the helpless fall by his strong ones.
11 They tell themselves, “God won't notice. He's looking the other way. He won't ever see anything.”
He saith in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
12 Take a stand, Lord! Raise your hand to strike! Don't forget those who can't defend themselves.
Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the poor.
13 Why do the wicked think they can treat God with such contempt? Why do they think that God won't make them accountable?
Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God, and say in his heart, Thou wilt not require [it]?
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.
Thon hast seen [it]; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to take it into thy hand: the helpless committeth [himself] unto thee; thou hast been 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 thou the arm of the wicked; and as for the evil man, seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
16 Lord, you are King forever and ever! The nations will vanish from their lands.
The LORD is King for ever and ever: the nations are perished out of 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.
LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the meek: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
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 judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man which is of the earth may be terrible no more.
