Psalms 10

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

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

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

In the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued; let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings. He blesses the greedy and condemns Yahweh.

For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and the covetous renounceth, [yea], contemneth the LORD.

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

The wicked, in the pride of his countenance, [saith], He will not require [it]. All his thoughts are, There is no God.

5 His ways are prosperous at all times. He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.

His ways are firm at all times; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.

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

He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved: to all generations I shall not be in adversity.

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

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression: under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

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

He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the covert places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the helpless.

9 He 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.

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

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

He croucheth, he boweth down, and the helpless fall by his strong ones.

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

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

12 Arise, Yahweh! God, lift up your hand! Don’t forget the helpless.

Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the poor.

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

Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God, and say in his heart, Thou wilt not require [it]?

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

Thon hast seen [it]; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to take it into thy hand: the helpless committeth [himself] unto thee; thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.

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

Break thou the arm of the wicked; and as for the evil man, seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

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

The LORD is King for ever and ever: the nations are perished out of his land.

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

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

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

To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man which is of the earth may be terrible no more.