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 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be 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 blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.

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

4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

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

5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, 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 hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never 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 fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

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 the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.

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

9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into 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, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.

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 it.

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 thine 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? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.

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

14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art 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 the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

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 heathen 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 prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

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

18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

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