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 haughtiness of the wicked the poor are in distress; They are caught in the wiles which are contrived for them.
The wicked, in their pride, are pursuing the helpless: let them be caught in the schemes they have plotted.
3 The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire; The rapacious renounceth and contemneth Jehovah.
For the wicked boasts of their wanton greed; the robber despises the Lord, and curses him,
4 The wicked [[saith]] in his haughtiness, “He careth not!” All his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
in wicked pride, thinks: God doesn’t care, God doesn’t call to account.
5 His course is always prosperous; Far in the heights are thy judgments from him; As for all his enemies, 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 never fall; I shall never 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 perjury, deceit, and oppression; Mischief and injustice are upon his tongue.
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 murder the innocent; His eyes are secretly fixed upon the poor.
Lying in secret in some village ambush, and stealthily watching, they murder the innocent.
9 He secretly lieth in wait, like a lion in a thicket; He lieth in wait to seize upon the helpless; He catcheth the poor, drawing him into 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, and lowereth himself, And the wretched fall into his paws.
Their victims are crushed, sink down to the ground. Under their claws the hapless fall.
11 He saith in his heart, “God doth forget; He hideth his face; he doth never see it.”
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 thine hand: Forget not the distressed!
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, “He careth not for it”?
Why do the wicked treat God with contempt, and say in their hearts, ‘God doesn’t care’?
14 Thou dost see it; yea, thou beholdest malice and oppression, And markest it upon thy hand! The poor committeth himself to thee; Thou art 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 unjust and wicked man; Seek out his wickedness, till thou canst find none!
Break the arm of the wicked and evil: search out their sin, till no more be found.
16 Jehovah is king for ever and ever; The gentiles shall perish out of his land.
The Lord is king forever and ever: the nations will vanish from his land.
17 Thou, O LORD! wilt hear the desires of the distressed; Thou wilt strengthen their hearts; Thou wilt lend a listening ear!
Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble, inclining your ear, strengthening their hearts,
18 Thou wilt maintain the cause of the fatherless and the oppressed, That henceforth none may be driven from the land.
rights you have won for the crushed and the orphan, so no one on earth may strike terror again.
