Psalms 10

1 Why, Jehovah, dost Thou stand at a distance? Thou dost hide in times of adversity,

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

2 Through the pride of the wicked, Is the poor inflamed, They are caught in devices that they devised.

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

3 Because the wicked hath boasted Of the desire of his soul, And a dishonest gainer he hath blessed, He hath despised Jehovah.

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

4 The wicked according to the height of his face, inquireth not. 'God is not!' [are] all his devices.

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

5 Pain do his ways at all times, On high [are] Thy judgments before him, All his adversaries — he puffeth at them.

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 hath said in his heart, 'I am not moved,' To generation and generation not in evil.

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

7 Of oaths his mouth is full, And deceits, and fraud: Under his tongue [is] perverseness and iniquity,

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

8 He doth sit in an ambush of the villages, In secret places he doth slay the innocent. His eyes for the afflicted watch secretly,

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

9 He lieth in wait in a secret place, as a lion in a covert. He lieth in wait to catch the poor, He catcheth the poor, drawing him into 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 He is bruised — he boweth down, Fallen by his mighty ones hath the afflicted.

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

11 He said in his heart, 'God hath forgotten, He hath hid His face, He hath never seen.'

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

12 Arise, O Jehovah! O God, lift up Thy hand! Forget not the humble.

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

13 Wherefore hath the wicked despised God? He hath said in his heart, 'It is not required.'

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

14 Thou hast seen, For Thou perverseness and anger beholdest; By giving into Thy hand, On Thee doth the afflicted leave [it], Of the fatherless Thou hast been an helper.

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 the evil, Seek out his wickedness, find none;

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

16 Jehovah [is] king to the age, and for ever, The nations have perished out of His land!

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

17 The desire of the humble Thou hast heard, O Jehovah. Thou preparest their heart; Thou causest Thine ear to attend,

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

18 To judge the fatherless and bruised: He addeth no more to oppress — man of the earth!

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