Psalms 10

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

Why do you stand, Lord, so far away, hiding yourself in times of trouble?

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

The wicked, in their pride, are pursuing the helpless: let them be caught in the schemes they have plotted.

3 For 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.

For the wicked boasts of their wanton greed; the robber despises the Lord, and curses him,

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

in wicked pride, thinks: God doesn’t care, God doesn’t call to account.

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

Never a season that they do not prosper; your judgments are far above out of their sight: they scoff at their foes.

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

Each says in their heart, ‘I will never be shaken; I will live for all time untouched by misfortune.’

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

Their mouths are full of deceit and oppression: under their tongues lurks mischief and wrong.

8 He 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.

Lying in secret in some village ambush, and stealthily watching, they murder the innocent.

9 He 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.

Like a lion that lurks in a secret lair they lurk intending to catch the defenceless; to seize them, to drag them away in their net.

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

Their victims are crushed, sink down to the ground. Under their claws the hapless fall.

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

The wicked say in their hearts that God has forgotten, has hidden his face, will see nothing.

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

Arise, Lord, lift up your hand, do not forget the cry of the wretched.

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

Why do the wicked treat God with contempt, and say in their hearts, ‘God doesn’t care’?

14 You 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.

You have seen the trouble and sorrow; you mark it all, and will take it in hand. The hapless can count on you, helper of orphans.

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

Break the arm of the wicked and evil: search out their sin, till no more be found.

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

The Lord is king forever and ever: the nations will vanish from his land.

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

Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble, inclining your ear, strengthening their hearts,

18 To 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.

rights you have won for the crushed and the orphan, so no one on earth may strike terror again.