Psalms 10

1 Why stand you far off, O LORD? why hide you yourself in times of trouble?

Why do you stand far off, LORD? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

2 The wicked in his pride does persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught in the schemes that they devise.

3 For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire, and blesses the covetous, whom the LORD detests.

For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings. He blesses the greedy and condemns the LORD.

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

The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God.

5 His ways are always grievous; your judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffs at them.

His ways are prosperous at all times. He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.

6 He has said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.”

7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places does he murder the innocent: his eyes are privately set against the poor.

He lies in wait near the villages. From ambushes, he murders the innocent. His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.

9 He lies in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lies in wait to catch the poor: he does catch the poor, when he draws him into his net.

He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush. He lies in wait to catch the helpless. He catches the helpless when he draws him in his net.

10 He crouches, and humbles himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.

The helpless are crushed. They collapse. They fall under his strength.

11 He has said in his heart, God has forgotten: he hides his face; he will never see it.

He says in his heart, “God has forgotten. He hides his face. He will never see it.”

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

Arise, LORD! God, lift up your hand! Don’t forget the helpless.

13 Wherefore does the wicked contemn God? he has said in his heart, You will not require it.

Why does the wicked person condemn God, and say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account”?

14 You have seen it; for you behold mischief and spite, to requite it with your hand: the poor commits himself unto you; you are the helper of the fatherless.

But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.

15 Break you the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till you find none.

Break the arm of the wicked. As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none.

16 The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.

The LORD is King forever and ever! The nations will perish out of his land.

17 LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble: you will prepare their heart, you will cause your ear to hear:

LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear,

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

to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.