Psalms 10

1 Why, Yahweh, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Why, O Lord, hast thou retired afar off? why dost thou slight us in our wants, in the time of trouble?

2 Because of their arrogance, wicked people chase the oppressed; but please let the wicked be trapped by their own schemes that they have devised.

Whilst the wicked man is proud, the poor is set on fire: they are caught in the counsels which they devise.

3 For the wicked person boasts of his deepest desires; he blesses the greedy and insults Yahweh.

For the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul: and the unjust man is blessed.

4 The wicked man has a raised face; he does not seek God. He never thinks about God because he does not care at all about him.

The sinner hath provoked the Lord according to the multitude of his wrath he will not seek him:

5 He is secure at all times, but your righteous decrees are too high for him; he snorts at all his enemies.

God is not before his eyes: his ways are filthy at all times. Thy judgments are removed from his sight: he shall rule over all his enemies.

6 He says in his heart,” I will never fail; throughout all generations I will not meet adversity.”

For he hath said in his heart: I shall not be moved from generation to generation, and shall be without evil.

7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceptive, harmful words; his tongue injures and destroys.

His mouth is full of cursing, and of bitterness, and of deceit: under his tongue are labour and sorrow.

8 He waits in ambush near the villages; in the secret places he murders the innocent; his eyes look for some helpless victim.

He sitteth in ambush with the rich in private places, that he may kill the innocent.

9 He lurks in secret like a lion in the thicket; he lies in wait to catch the oppressed. He catches the oppressed when he pulls in his net.

His eyes are upon the poor man: He lieth in wait in secret like a lion in his den. He lieth in ambush that he may catch the poor man: to catch the poor, whilst he draweth him to him.

10 His victims are crushed and beaten down; they fall into his strong nets.

In his net he will bring him down, he will crouch and fall, when he shall have power over the poor.

11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten; he covers his face; he will not bother to look.”

For he hath said in his heart: God hath forgotten, he hath turned away his face not to see to the end.

12 Arise, Yahweh! Lift up your hand, God! Do not forget the oppressed.

Arise, O Lord God, let thy hand be exalted: forget not the poor.

13 Why does the wicked man reject God and say in his heart, “You will not hold me accountable”?

Wherefore hath the wicked provoked God? for he hath said in his heart: He will not require it.

14 You have taken notice, for you always see the one who inflicts the misery and sorrow. The helpless entrusts himself to you; you rescue the fatherless.

Thou seest it, for thou considerest labour and sorrow: that thou mayst deliver them into thy hands. To thee is the poor man left: thou wilt be a helper to the orphan.

15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man. Make him account for his evil deeds, which he thought you would not discover.

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

16 Yahweh is King forever and ever; the nations are driven out of his land.

The Lord shall reign to eternity, yea, for ever and ever: ye Gentiles shall perish from his land.

17 Yahweh, you have heard the needs of the oppressed; you strengthen their heart, you listen to their prayer;

The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor: thy ear hath heard the preparation of their heart.

18 You defend the fatherless and the oppressed so that no man on the earth will cause terror again.

To judge for the fatherless and for the humble, that man may no more presume to magnify himself upon earth.