Psalm 10

1 Lord, why do You stand so far away?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?

2 In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue the afflicted;
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.

3 For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings;
the one who is greedy curses and despises the Lord.
4 In all his scheming,
the wicked arrogantly thinks:
"There is no accountability,
[since] God does not exist."
5 His ways are always secure;
Your lofty judgments are beyond his sight;
he scoffs at all his adversaries.
6 He says to himself, "I will never be moved-
from generation to generation without calamity."
7 Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.
8 He waits in ambush near the villages;
he kills the innocent in secret places.
His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless;
9 he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket.
He lurks in order to seize the afflicted;
he seizes the afflicted and drags him in his net.
10 So he is oppressed and beaten down;
the helpless fall because of his strength.

11 He says to himself, "God has forgotten;
He hides His face and will never see."

12 Rise up, Lord God! Lift up Your hand.
Do not forget the afflicted.
13 Why has the wicked person despised God?
He says to himself, "You will not demand an account."
14 But You Yourself have seen trouble and grief,
observing it in order to take the matter into Your hands.
The helpless entrusts himself to You;
You are a helper of the fatherless.

15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil person;
call his wickedness into account
until nothing remains of it.

16 The Lord is King forever and ever;
the nations will perish from His land.
17 Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will strengthen their hearts.
You will listen carefully,

18 doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed
so that men of the earth may terrify [them] no more.

Psalm 10

1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble?

2 The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed;
the oppressed are trapped by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up.

3 Yes, the wicked man boasts because he gets what he wants;
the one who robs others curses and rejects the Lord.

4 The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks,
“God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.”

5 He is secure at all times.
He has no regard for your commands;
he disdains all his enemies.

6 He says to himself,
“I will never be upended,
because I experience no calamity.”

7 His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words;
his tongue injures and destroys.

8 He waits in ambush near the villages;
in hidden places he kills the innocent.
His eyes look for some unfortunate victim.

9 He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket;
he lies in ambush, waiting to catch the oppressed;
he catches the oppressed by pulling in his net.

10 His victims are crushed and beaten down;
they are trapped in his sturdy nets.

11 He says to himself,
“God overlooks it;
he does not pay attention;
he never notices.”

12 Rise up, Lord!
O God, strike him down!
Do not forget the oppressed!

13 Why does the wicked man reject God?
He says to himself, “You will not hold me accountable.”

14 You have taken notice,
for you always see one who inflicts pain and suffering.
The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you;
you deliver the fatherless.

15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man!
Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds,
which he thought you would not discover.

16 The Lord rules forever!
The nations are driven out of his land.

17 Lord, you have heard the request of the oppressed;
you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.

18 You defend the fatherless and oppressed,
so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them.