Psalm 10

Revised Standard Version

³ For the wicked boasts of the desires of his heart,
    and the man greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.
⁴ In the pride of his countenance the wicked does not seek him;
    all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”

⁵ His ways prosper at all times;
    thy judgments are on high, out of his sight;
    as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
⁶ He thinks in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
    throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”

⁷ His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
    under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
⁸ He sits in ambush in the villages;
    in hiding places he murders the innocent.

His eyes stealthily watch for the hapless,
⁹     he lurks in secret like a lion in his covert;
he lurks that he may seize the poor,
    he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.

¹⁰ The hapless is crushed, sinks down,
    and falls by his might.
¹¹ He thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten,
    he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

¹² Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thy hand;
    forget not the afflicted.
¹³ Why does the wicked renounce God,
    and say in his heart, “Thou wilt not call to account”?

¹⁴ Thou dost see; yea, thou dost note trouble and vexation,
    that thou mayst take it into thy hands;
the hapless commits himself to thee;
    thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.

¹⁵ Break thou the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
    seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
¹⁶ The Lord is king for ever and ever;
    the nations shall perish from his land.

¹⁷ O Lord, thou wilt hear the desire of the meek;
    thou wilt strengthen their heart, thou wilt incline thy ear
¹⁸ to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
    so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.