Psalm 10

A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked.

¹Why do You stand far away, Lord ?

Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?

²In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the needy;

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

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

And the greedy person curses and shows disrespect to the Lord .

⁴The wicked, in his haughtiness, does not seek Him.[#10:4 Lit the height of his nose]

There is no God in all his schemes.

⁵¶His ways succeed at all times;

Yet Your judgments are on high, out of his sight;

As for all his enemies, he snorts at them.

⁶He says to himself, “I will not be moved;

Throughout the generations I will not be in adversity.”

⁷His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression;

Under his tongue is harm and injustice.

⁸He sits in the lurking places of the villages;

He kills the innocent in the secret places;

His eyes surreptitiously watch for the unfortunate.

⁹He lurks in secret like a lion in his lair;[#10:9 Or thicket]

He lurks to catch the needy;

He catches the needy when he pulls him into his net.

¹⁰Then he crushes the needy one, who cowers;

And unfortunate people fall by his mighty power.

¹¹He says to himself, “God has forgotten;

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

¹²¶Arise, Lord ; God, lift up Your hand.

Do not forget the humble.

¹³Why has the wicked treated God disrespectfully?

He has said to himself, “You will not require an account. ”

¹⁴You have seen it, for You have looked at harm and provocation to take it into Your hand.[#10:14 Lit put, 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¶The Lord is King forever and ever;

Nations have perished from His land.

¹⁷Lord , You have heard the desire of the humble;

You will strengthen their heart, You will make Your ear attentive

¹⁸To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed,[#10:18 Lit judge]

So that mankind, which is of the earth, will no longer cause terror.