Psalms 10

1 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? [why] dost thou overlook [us] in times of need, in affliction?

2 In the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued; let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

While the ungodly one acts proudly, the poor is hotly pursued: [the wicked] are taken in the crafty counsels which they imagine.

3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and the covetous renounceth, [yea], contemneth the LORD.

Because the sinner praises himself for the desires of his heart; and the unjust one blesses himself.

4 The wicked, in the pride of his countenance, [saith], He will not require [it]. All his thoughts are, There is no God.

The sinner has provoked the Lord: according to the abundance of his pride he will not seek after [him]: God is not before him.

5 His ways are firm at all times; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.

His ways are profane at all times; thy judgments are removed from before him: he will gain the mastery over all his enemies.

6 He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved: to all generations I shall not be in adversity.

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

7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression: under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

Whose mouth is full of cursing, and bitterness, and fraud: under his tongue are trouble and pain.

8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the covert places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the helpless.

He lies in wait with rich [men] in secret places, in order to slay the innocent: his eyes are set against the poor.

9 He lurketh in the covert as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him in his net.

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.

10 He croucheth, he boweth down, and the helpless fall by his strong ones.

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

11 He saith in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

For he has said in his heart, God has forgotten: he has turned away his face so as never to look.

12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the poor.

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

13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God, and say in his heart, Thou wilt not require [it]?

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

14 Thon hast seen [it]; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to take it into thy hand: the helpless committeth [himself] unto thee; thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.

Thou seest [it]; for thou dost observe trouble and wrath, to deliver them into thy hands: the poor has been left to thee; thou wast a helper to the orphan.

15 Break thou the arm of the wicked; and as for the evil man, seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

Break thou the arm of the sinner and wicked man: his sin shall be sought for, and shall not be found.

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

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

17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the meek: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

The Lord has heard the desire of the poor: thine ear has inclined to the preparation of their heart;

18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man which is of the earth may be terrible no more.

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