Psalms 10

1 Why stand you afar off, O Lord? [why] do you overlook [us] in times of need, in affliction?

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

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 does persecute the poor: let them 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 boasts of his heart’s desire, and blesses the covetous, whom the LORD abhors.

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

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

6 For he has said in his heart, I shall not be moved, [continuing] without evil from generation to generation.

He has said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in 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 fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

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 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.

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 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.

10 He will bow down and fall when he has mastered the poor.

He crouches, and humbles himself, that the poor 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 has said in his heart, God has forgotten: he hides his face; he will never see it.

12 Arise, O Lord God; let your hand be lifted up: forget not the poor.

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

13 Therefore, has the wicked provoked God? for he has said in his heart, He will not require [it].

Why does the wicked scorn God? he has said in his heart, You will 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.

You have seen it; for you behold mischief and spite, to requite it with your hand: the poor commits himself to you; you are 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 you the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till you find none.

16 The Lord shall reign for ever, even for ever and ever: you Gentiles shall perish out his land.

The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are 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;

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

18 to plead for the orphan and afflicted, that man may no more boast upon the earth.

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