Do Not Forget the Afflicted

¹Why do You stand afar off, O Yahweh?[#10:1 This poem continues the acrostic pattern started in Ps 9]

Why do You hide Yourself in times of distress?

²In his lofty pride the wicked hotly pursues the afflicted;[#10:2 Lit burn]

Let them be caught in the thoughts which they have devised.

³¶For the wicked boasts of his soul’s desire,

And the greedy man curses and spurns Yahweh.

⁴The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him .

All his thoughts are, “There is no God.”

⁵¶His ways prosper at all times;[#10:5 Lit are strong]

Your judgments are on high, out of his sight;

As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them.

⁶He says in his heart, “I will not be shaken;

From generation to generation I will not be in adversity.”

⁷His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression;

Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.

⁸He sits in the places of the villages where one lies in wait;[#10:8 Lit place of lying in wait]

In the hiding places he kills the innocent;

His eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate.

⁹He lies in wait in a hiding place as a lion in his lair;[#10:9 Or thicket]

He lies in wait to catch the afflicted;

He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his net.

¹⁰He crouches, he bows down,[#10:10 Or is crushed; #10:10 Or is bowed down]

And the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones.

¹¹He says in his heart, “God has forgotten;

He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”

¹²¶Arise, O Yahweh; O God, lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the afflicted.

¹³Why has the wicked spurned God?

He has said in his heart, “You will not require it .”

¹⁴You have seen it , for You have beheld mischief and vexation to take it into Your hand.[#10:14 Lit give]

The unfortunate commits himself to You;

You have been the helper of the orphan.

¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer,

Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

¹⁶¶Yahweh is King forever and ever;

Nations have perished from His land.

¹⁷O Yahweh, You have heard the desire of the humble;[#10:17 Or afflicted , cf. Ps 10:12]

You will strengthen their heart, You will cause Your ear to give heed

¹⁸To give justice to the orphan and the oppressed,

So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.