Psalms 10

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

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

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

Because of their arrogance, wicked people chase the oppressed; but please let the wicked be trapped by their own schemes that they have devised.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

He says in his heart,” I will never fail; throughout all generations I will not meet 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 deceptive, harmful words; his tongue injures and destroys.

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Yahweh is King forever and ever; the nations are driven 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,

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

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

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