Psalms 10

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

Why do you stand, Lord, so far away, hiding yourself in times of trouble?

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

The wicked, in their pride, are pursuing the helpless: let them be caught in the schemes they have plotted.

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

For the wicked boasts of their wanton greed; the robber despises the Lord, and curses him,

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

in wicked pride, thinks: God doesn’t care, God doesn’t call to account.

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.

Never a season that they do not prosper; your judgments are far above out of their sight: they scoff at their foes.

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

Each says in their heart, ‘I will never be shaken; I will live for all time untouched by misfortune.’

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

Their mouths are full of deceit and oppression: under their tongues lurks mischief and wrong.

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.

Lying in secret in some village ambush, and stealthily watching, they murder 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.

Like a lion that lurks in a secret lair they lurk intending to catch the defenceless; to seize them, to drag them away in their net.

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

Their victims are crushed, sink down to the ground. Under their claws the hapless fall.

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

The wicked say in their hearts that God has forgotten, has hidden his face, will see nothing.

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

Arise, Lord, lift up your hand, do not forget the cry of the wretched.

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

Why do the wicked treat God with contempt, and say in their hearts, ‘God doesn’t care’?

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.

You have seen the trouble and sorrow; you mark it all, and will take it in hand. The hapless can count on you, helper of orphans.

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

Break the arm of the wicked and evil: search out their sin, till no more be found.

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

The Lord is king forever and ever: the nations will vanish 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;

Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble, inclining your ear, strengthening their hearts,

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

rights you have won for the crushed and the orphan, so no one on earth may strike terror again.