Psalms 10

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.