Psalms 10

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

Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

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

The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

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

For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

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

The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

5 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.

His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

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

He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

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

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

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

He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are secretly set against the poor.

9 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.

He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.

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

He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.

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

He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

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

Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thy hand: forget not the humble.

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

Why doth the wicked despise God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.

14 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.

Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to repay it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself to thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

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

Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou shalt find none.

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

The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen have perished out of his land.

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

LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thy ear to hear:

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

To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.