Psalm 10

Need for God’s Justice

Lord,[a][b] why do you stand so far away?(A)
Why do you hide in times of trouble?(B)
In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue their victims;
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.(C)

For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings;(D)
the one who is greedy curses[c] and despises the Lord.(E)
In all his scheming,
the wicked person arrogantly thinks,[d]
“There’s no accountability,
since there’s no God.”(F)
His ways are always secure;[e]
your lofty judgments have no effect on him;[f]
he scoffs at all his adversaries.(G)
He says to himself, “I will never be moved—
from generation to generation I will be without calamity.”(H)
Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.(I)
He waits in ambush near settlements;(J)
he kills the innocent in secret places.
His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless;(K)
he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket.
He lurks in order to seize a victim;
he seizes a victim and drags him in his net.
10 So he is oppressed and beaten down;
helpless people fall because of the wicked one’s strength.(L)
11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten;
he hides his face and will never see.”(M)

12 Rise up, Lord God! Lift up your hand.(N)
Do not forget the oppressed.(O)
13 Why has the wicked person despised God?
He says to himself, “You will not demand an account.”(P)
14 But you yourself have seen trouble and grief,
observing it in order to take the matter into your hands.(Q)
The helpless one entrusts himself to you;
you are a helper of the fatherless.(R)
15 Break the arm of the wicked, evil person,(S)
until you look for his wickedness,
but it can’t be found.(T)

16 The Lord is King forever and ever;(U)
the nations will perish from his land.(V)
17 Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble;
you will strengthen their hearts.
You will listen carefully,(W)
18 doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed
so that mere humans from the earth may terrify them no more.(X)

Notas al pie

  1. 10:1 Some Hb mss, LXX connect Pss 9–10.
  2. 10:1 Together Pss 9–10 form a partial acrostic.
  3. 10:3 Or he blesses the greedy
  4. 10:4 Lit wicked according to the height of his nose
  5. 10:5 Or prosperous
  6. 10:5 Lit judgments are away from in front of him

A Prayer for God to Throw down the Wicked

10 Why, O Yahweh, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide[a] during times of distress?
In arrogance the wicked persecutes[b] the poor.
Let them be caught in the schemes that they devised,
for the wicked boasts about the desire of his heart,[c]
and the one greedy for gain curses and treats Yahweh with contempt.
With bald-faced pride[d] the wicked will not seek God.
There is no God in any of his thoughts.
His ways[e] endure at all times.[f]
Your judgments are aloof from him.
As for all his enemies, he scoffs at them.
He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved
throughout all generations,[g] during which I will have no trouble.”
His mouth is filled with cursing,
with deceits and oppression;
under his tongue are trouble and evil.
He sits in ambush in villages;
in the hiding places he kills the innocent.
His eyes lurk[h] for the helpless.
He lies in ambush secretly,[i] like a lion in a thicket.
He lies in ambush to seize the poor;
he seizes the poor by catching him in his net.
10 He is crushed;[j] he is bowed down;[k]
so[l] the helpless host[m] falls by his might.[n]
11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten.
He has hidden his face.
He never sees.”
12 Rise up, O Yahweh;
O God, lift up your hand.
Do not forget the afflicted.
13 Why does the wicked treat God with contempt?
He says in his heart, “You will not call me to account.”
14 But you have seen; indeed you have noted trouble and grief
to take it into your hand.
The helpless abandons himself upon you;
you have been the helper for the orphan.
15 Break the arm of the wicked,
and as for the evil man
seek out his wickedness until you find none.
16 Yahweh is king forever and ever;
the nations have perished from his land.
17 The longing of the afflicted you have heard, O Yahweh.
You will make their heart secure. You will listen attentively[o]
18 to render judgment for the fatherless and the oppressed
so that a mere mortal from the earth will no longer cause terror.

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 10:1 Or “shut your eyes
  2. Psalm 10:2 Or “pursues”
  3. Psalm 10:3 Literally “soul”
  4. Psalm 10:4 Literally “According to the height of his nose”
  5. Psalm 10:5 According to the reading tradition (Qere)
  6. Psalm 10:5 Hebrew “time”
  7. Psalm 10:6 Literally “for a generation and a generation”
  8. Psalm 10:8 Literally “lie hid”
  9. Psalm 10:9 Literally “in the secret places”
  10. Psalm 10:10 Or “and he the wicked stoops”
  11. Psalm 10:10 Or “he the wicked crouches”
  12. Psalm 10:10 Or “and”
  13. Psalm 10:10 According to the reading tradition (Qere)
  14. Psalm 10:10 Literally “mighty ones”
  15. Psalm 10:17 Literally “cause your ear to hear”