Psalm 10-12

English Standard Version

² In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
    let them ^(D)be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
³ For the wicked ^(E)boasts of the desires of his soul,
    and the one greedy for gain ^(F)curses^[a] and ^(G)renounces the Lord.
⁴ In the pride of his face^[b] the wicked does not ^(H)seek him;^[c]
    all his thoughts are, ^(I)“There is no God.”
⁵ His ways prosper at all times;
    your judgments are on high, ^(J)out of his sight;
    as for all his foes, he ^(K)puffs at them.
⁶ He ^(L)says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
    throughout all generations I ^(M)shall not meet adversity.”
^7 (N)His mouth is filled with cursing and ^(O)deceit and ^(P)oppression;
    ^(Q)under his tongue are ^(R)mischief and ^(S)iniquity.
⁸ He sits in ambush in the villages;
    in ^(T)hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
⁹     he lurks in ambush like ^(U)a lion in his ^(V)thicket;
he ^(W)lurks that he may seize the poor;
    he seizes the poor when he draws him into his ^(X)net.
¹⁰ The helpless are crushed, sink down,
    and fall by his might.
¹¹ He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
    he has ^(Y)hidden his face, he ^(Z)will never see it.”

^12 (AA)Arise, O Lord; O God, ^(AB)lift up your hand;
    ^(AC)forget not the afflicted.
¹³ Why does the wicked ^(AD)renounce God
    and say in his heart, “You will not ^(AE)call to account”?
¹⁴ But you do see, for you ^(AF)note mischief and vexation,
    that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless ^(AG)commits himself;
    you have been ^(AH)the helper of the fatherless.
^15 (AI)Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
    ^(AJ)call his wickedness to account till you find none.

^16 (AK)The Lord is king forever and ever;
    the ^(AL)nations perish from his land.
¹⁷ O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you will ^(AM)strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
¹⁸ to ^(AN)do justice to the fatherless and ^(AO)the oppressed,
    so that ^(AP)man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

^4 (AU)The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord's ^(AV)throne is in heaven;
    his eyes see, his eyelids ^(AW)test the children of man.
⁵ The Lord ^(AX)tests the righteous,
    but ^(AY)his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
⁶ Let him rain coals on the wicked;
    ^(AZ)fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be ^(BA)the portion of their cup.
⁷ For the Lord is righteous;
he ^(BB)loves righteous deeds;
    ^(BC)the upright shall behold his face.

³ May the Lord cut off all ^(BH)flattering lips,
    the tongue that makes ^(BI)great boasts,
⁴ those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
    our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

⁵ “Because ^(BJ)the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
    ^(BK)I will now arise,” says the Lord;
    “I will place him in the ^(BL)safety for which he longs.”
^6 (BM)The words of the Lord are pure words,
    like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.

⁷ You, O Lord, will keep them;
    you will guard us^[f] from this generation forever.
⁸ On every side the wicked prowl,
    as vileness is exalted among the children of man.