< Psalms 10 >
1 Why stand you afar off, O Lord? [why] do you overlook [us] in times of need, in affliction?
Why, Jehovah, standest thou afar off? [Why] hidest thou thyself in times of distress?
2 While the ungodly one acts proudly, the poor is hotly pursued: [the wicked] are taken in the crafty counsels which they imagine.
The wicked, in his pride, doth hotly pursue the afflicted. They shall be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3 Because the sinner praises himself for the desires of his heart; and the unjust one blesses himself.
For the wicked boasteth of his soul's desire, and he blesseth the covetous; he contemneth Jehovah.
4 The sinner has provoked the Lord: according to the abundance of his pride he will not seek after [him]: God is not before him.
The wicked [saith], in the haughtiness of his countenance, He doth not search out: all his thoughts are, There is no God!
5 His ways are profane at all times; your judgments are removed from before him: he will gain the mastery over all his enemies.
His ways always succeed; thy judgments are far above out of his sight; [as for] all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.
6 For he has said in his heart, I shall not be moved, [continuing] without evil from generation to generation.
He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved; from generation to generation I shall be in no adversity.
7 Whose mouth is full of cursing, and bitterness, and fraud: under his tongue are trouble and pain.
His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
8 He lies in wait with rich [men] in secret places, in order to kill the innocent: his eyes are set against the poor.
He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; in the secret places doth he slay the innocent: his eyes watch for the wretched.
9 He lies in wait in secret as a lion in his den: he lies in wait to ravish the poor, to ravish the poor when he draws him [after him]: he will bring him down in his snare.
He lieth in wait secretly, like a lion in his thicket; he lieth in wait to catch the afflicted: he doth catch the afflicted, drawing him into his net.
10 He will bow down and fall when he has mastered the poor.
He croucheth, he boweth down, that the wretched may fall by his strong ones.
11 For he has said in his heart, God has forgotten: he has turned away his face so as never to look.
He saith in his heart, God hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see [it].
12 Arise, O Lord God; let your hand be lifted up: forget not the poor.
Arise, Jehovah; O God, lift up thy hand: forget not the afflicted.
13 Therefore, has the wicked provoked God? for he has said in his heart, He will not require [it].
Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require [it].
14 You see [it]; for you do observe trouble and wrath, to deliver them into your hands: the poor has been left to you; you were a helper to the orphan.
Thou hast seen [it], for thou thyself beholdest trouble and vexation, to requite by thy hand. The wretched committeth himself unto thee; thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break you the arm of the sinner and wicked man: his sin shall be sought for, and shall not be found.
Break thou the arm of the wicked, and as for the evil man, seek out his wickedness [till] thou find none.
16 The Lord shall reign for ever, even for ever and ever: you Gentiles shall perish out his land.
Jehovah is King for ever and ever: the nations have perished out of his land.
17 The Lord has heard the desire of the poor: your ear has inclined to the preparation of their heart;
Jehovah, thou hast heard the desire of the meek, thou hast established their heart: thou causest thine ear to hear,
18 to plead for the orphan and afflicted, that man may no more boast upon the earth.
To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed one, that the man of the earth may terrify no more.