Psalms 10

1 Why standest Thou afar off, O LORD? Why hidest Thou Thyself in times of trouble?

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

2 Through the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued, they are taken in the devices that they have imagined.

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

3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and the covetous vaunteth himself, though he contemn the LORD.

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

4 The wicked, in the pride of his countenance, saith: 'He will not require'; all his thoughts are: 'There is no God.'

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

5 His ways prosper at all times; Thy judgments are far above out of his sight; as for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.

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.

6 He saith in his heart: 'I shall not be moved, I who to all generations shall not be in adversity.'

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

7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

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

8 He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; in secret places doth he slay the innocent; his eyes are on the watch for the helpless.

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

9 He lieth in wait in a secret place as a lion in his lair, he lieth in wait to catch the poor; he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him up in his net.

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.

10 He croucheth, he boweth down, and the helpless fall into his mighty claws.

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

11 He hath said in his heart: 'God hath forgotten; He hideth His face; He will never see.'

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

12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up Thy hand; forget not the humble.

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

13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God, and say in his heart: 'Thou wilt not require'?

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

14 Thou hast seen; for Thou beholdest trouble and vexation, to requite them with Thy hand; unto Thee the helpless committeth himself; Thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.

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.

15 Break Thou the arm of the wicked; and as for the evil man, search out his wickedness, till none be found.

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

16 The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations are perished out of His land.

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

17 LORD, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt direct their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to attend;

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

18 To right the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may be terrible no more.

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