Psalms 10
1 Wherefore, O Yahweh, shouldst thou stand afar off? [Wherefore] hide thyself, in times of destitution?
Lord, why are you so distant? Why do you hide from me in times of trouble?
2 In the pride of the lawless one, he hotly pursueth the poor, let them be caught in the plots which they have devised!
The wicked chase down the poor with impunity. May they be trapped by the evil schemes they themselves invented.
3 For the lawless one hath boasted over the longing of his soul, and, the robber, hath blasphemed Yahweh.
For the wicked boast about what they want to do. They praise the greedy, but treat the Lord with contempt.
4 The lawless one, in the loftiness of his countenance, will not enquire, God is not in any of his plots:
The wicked are too proud to come to God. In all their thinking they never consider God.
5 His ways are firm at all times, On high, are thy righteous regulations, out of his sight, As for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them:
What they do always seems to go well. They're unaware of God's judgments. They ridicule all their enemies.
6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be shaken, —From generation to generation, shall I be in no misfortune.
They tell themselves, “Nothing bad is going to happen to me. I'll never be in trouble!”
7 With cursing, his mouth is full, and with deceptions and oppression, Under his tongue, are trouble and mischief:
Their speech is full of cursing, lies, and threats; their tongues are always ready to spread trouble and cause evil.
8 He abideth in the lurking-place of villages, In the hiding-places, he murdereth the innocent, —His eyes, for the unfortunate, are on the watch:
They hide out in ambush in the villages, ready to kill innocent passers-by. They are always on the lookout for their next victim.
9 He lieth in wait in a hiding-place, like a lion in his covert, He lieth in wait to catch the humbled, He catcheth the humbled, by drawing him into his net:
They lie in ambush like a lion ready to attack, ready to leap out from their hiding place to seize their victim. They capture the helpless, throwing a net over them.
10 He croucheth, he lieth down, then falleth he with his strong claws upon the unfortunate.
Their victims are knocked down, laid low. They fall under the strength of the wicked.
11 He hath said in his heart, GOD hath forgotten, —He hath veiled his face, Oh he hath never seen!
They tell themselves, “God won't notice. He's looking the other way. He won't ever see anything.”
12 Arise! Yahweh! O GOD! raise thy hand, —Do not forget the patient!
Take a stand, Lord! Raise your hand to strike! Don't forget those who can't defend themselves.
13 Wherefore hath the lawless one blasphemed God? He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require [it]!
Why do the wicked think they can treat God with such contempt? Why do they think that God won't make them accountable?
14 Thou hast seen! For, thou, mischief and misery, dost discern, to requite with thine own hand, Unto thee, doth, the unfortunate one, give himself up, To the fatherless, thou thyself, hast become a helper.
But you do see the trouble and grief they cause. Take it into your own hands. The helpless trust in you; you defend the orphans.
15 Shatter thou the arm of the lawless one, And, as for the wrongful, wilt thou not enquire for his lawlessness—wilt thou not find [it]?
Destroy the power of the wicked, those evil people! Call each of them to account until there are none left!
16 Yahweh, is king, to times age-abiding and beyond, The nations have perished out of his land.
Lord, you are King forever and ever! The nations will vanish from their lands.
17 The longing of the patient, thou hast heard, O Yahweh, Thou wilt establish their heart, Thou wilt make attentive thine ear:
Lord, you have heard the longing cries of those who are suffering. You will encourage them, for you will listen to them.
18 To vindicate the fatherless and the crushed, A man of the earth, shall, no further, cause terror!
You will defend the rights of orphans and the oppressed so that those who are mere human beings here on earth will never terrorize them again.
