Psalm 10

¹Why do you stand so far away, LORD ,

hiding yourself in troubling times?

²Meanwhile, the wicked are proudly

in hot pursuit of those who suffer.

Let them get caught

in the very same schemes they’ve thought up!

³The wicked brag about their body’s cravings;[#10.3 Or soul’s]

the greedy reject the LORD , cursing.

⁴At the peak of their wrath,

the wicked don’t seek God:

There’s no God—

that’s what they are always thinking.

⁵Their ways are always twisted.

They snort at all their foes.

⁶They think to themselves,

⁷Their mouths are filled

Under their tongues lie

⁸They wait in a place perfect for ambush;[#10.8 Heb uncertain]

from their hiding places

they kill innocent people;

their eyes spot those who are helpless.

⁹They lie in ambush

in secret places,

like a lion in its lair.

They lie in ambush

so they can seize those who suffer!

They seize the poor, all right,

dragging them off in their nets.

¹⁰Their helpless victims are crushed;

they collapse, falling prey to the strength of the wicked.

¹¹The wicked think to themselves:

God has forgotten.

God has hidden his face.

God never sees anything!

¹²Get up, LORD !

Get your fist ready, God!

Don’t forget the ones who suffer!

¹³Why do the wicked reject God?

Why do they think to themselves

¹⁴But you do see!

You do see troublemaking and grief,

and you do something about it!

The helpless leave it all to you.

You are the orphan’s helper.

¹⁵Break the arms of those

who are wicked and evil.

Seek out their wickedness

until there’s no more to find.

¹⁶The LORD rules forever and always!

The nations will vanish from his land.

¹⁷LORD , you listen to the desires of those who suffer.

You steady their hearts;

you listen closely to them,

¹⁸to establish justice

so that people of the land