Psalm 10

1 Why standest thou afar off, O Jehovah? Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

2 In the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued; Let them be taken in the devices that they have conceived.

3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, And the covetous renounceth, yea, contemneth Jehovah.

4 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 firm at all times; Thy judgments are far above out of his sight: As for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.

6 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 and deceit and oppression: Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

8 He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; In the secret places doth he murder the innocent; His eyes are privily set against the helpless.

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

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

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

12 Arise, O Jehovah; O God, lift up thy hand: Forget not the poor.

13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God, And say in his heart, Thou wilt not require it?

14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: The helpless committeth himself unto thee; Thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.

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

16 Jehovah is King for ever and ever: The nations are perished out of his land.

17 Jehovah, 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 be terrible no more.

Psalms 10

A prayer for help

1 Why are you far away, Lord?
Why do you hide yourself
when I am in trouble?

2 Proud and brutal people
hunt down the poor.
But let them get caught
by their own evil plans!

3 The wicked boast about
their deepest desires.
Those greedy people hate
and curse you, Lord.

4 The wicked are too proud
to turn to you
or even think about you.

5 They are always successful,
though they can't understand
your teachings,
and they keep sneering
at their enemies.

6 In their hearts they say,
“Nothing can hurt us!
We'll always be happy
and free from trouble.”

7 They curse and tell lies,t
and all they talk about
is how to be cruel
or how to do wrong.

8 They hide outside villages,
waiting to strike and murder
some innocent victim.

9 They are hungry lions
hiding in the bushes,
hoping to catch
some helpless passer-by.
They trap the poor in nets
and drag them away.

10 They crouch down and wait
to grab a victim.

11 They say, “God can't see!
He's got a blindfold on.”

12 Do something, Lord God,
and use your powerful arm
to help those in need.

13 The wicked don't respect you.
In their hearts they say,
“God won't punish us!”

14 But you see the trouble
and the distress,
and you will do something.
The poor can count on you,
and so can orphans.

15 Now break the arms
of all merciless people.
Punish them for doing wrong
and make them stop.

16 Our Lord, you will always rule,
but nations will vanish
from the earth.

17 You listen to the longings
of those who suffer.
You offer them hope,
and you pay attention
to their cries for help.

18 You defend orphans
and everyone else in need,
so that no one on earth
can terrify others again.