Psalms 10

¹Why do you keep far away, O Lord? why are you not to be seen in times of trouble?

²The evil-doer in his pride is cruel to the poor; let him be taken by the tricks of his invention.

³For the evil-doer is lifted up because of the purpose of his heart, and he whose mind is fixed on wealth is turned away from the Lord, saying evil against him.

⁴The evil-doer in his pride says, God will not make a search. All his thoughts are, There is no God.

⁵His ways are ever fixed; your decisions are higher than he may see: as for his haters, they are as nothing to him.

⁶He has said in his heart, I will not be moved: through all generations I will never be in trouble.

⁷His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and false words: under his tongue are evil purposes and dark thoughts.

⁸He is waiting in the dark places of the towns: in the secret places he puts to death those who have done no wrong: his eyes are secretly turned against the poor.

⁹He keeps himself in a secret place like a lion in his hole, waiting to put his hands on the poor man, and pulling him into his net.

¹⁰The upright are crushed and made low, and the feeble are overcome by his strong ones.

¹¹He says in his heart, God has no memory of me: his face is turned away; he will never see it.

¹²Up! O Lord; let your hand be lifted: give thought to the poor.

¹³Why has the evil-doer a low opinion of God, saying in his heart, You will not make search for it?

¹⁴You have seen it; for your eyes are on sorrow and grief, to take it into your hand: the poor man puts his faith in you; you have been the helper of the child who has no father.

¹⁵Let the arm of the sinner and the evil-doer be broken; go on searching for his sin till there is no more.

¹⁶The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations are gone from his land.

¹⁷Lord, you have given ear to the prayer of the poor: you will make strong their hearts, you will give them a hearing:

¹⁸To give decision for the child without a father and for the broken-hearted, so that the man of the earth may no longer be feared.

Psalms 10

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

²In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught in the schemes that they devise.

³For the wicked boasts of his heart's cravings. He blesses the greedy, and condemns the Lord.

⁴The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God.

⁵His ways are prosperous at all times. Your judgments are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.

⁶He says in his heart, "I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble."

⁷His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

⁸He lies in wait near the villages. From ambushes, he murders the innocent. His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.

⁹He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush. He lies in wait to catch the helpless. He catches the helpless, when he draws him in his net.

¹⁰The helpless are crushed. They collapse. They fall under his strength.

¹¹He says in his heart, "God has forgotten. He hides his face. He will never see it."

¹²Arise, Lord! God, lift up your hand! Do not forget the helpless.

¹³Why does the wicked person condemn God, and say in his heart, "God won't call me into account?"

¹⁴But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.

¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked. As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none.

¹⁶The Lord is King forever and ever! The nations will perish out of his land.

¹⁷Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear,

¹⁸to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.