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Do Not Forget the Afflicted

Lamedh

10 [a]Why (A)do You stand afar off, O Yahweh?
Why (B)do You hide [b]Yourself in times of distress?
In his (C)lofty pride the wicked [c]hotly pursues the afflicted;
[d]Let them be (D)caught in the thoughts which they have devised.

For the wicked (E)boasts of his (F)soul’s desire,
And [e]the greedy man curses and (G)spurns Yahweh.
The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, (H)does not seek Him.
All his [f]thoughts are, “(I)There is no God.”

His ways [g](J)prosper at all times;
Your judgments are on high, (K)out of his sight;
As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them.
He says in his heart, “(L)I will not be shaken;
[h]From generation to generation (M)I will not be in adversity.”

Pe

His (N)mouth is full of curses and deceit and (O)oppression;
(P)Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.

Ayin

He sits in the [i](Q)places of the villages where one lies in wait;
In the hiding places he (R)kills the innocent;
His eyes [j]stealthily watch for the [k](S)unfortunate.
He lies in wait in a hiding place as (T)a lion in his [l]lair;
He (U)lies in wait to catch (V)the afflicted;
He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his (W)net.
10 He [m]crouches, he [n]bows down,
And the [o]unfortunate fall [p]by his mighty ones.
11 He (X)says in his heart, “God has forgotten;
He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”

Qoph

12 Arise, O Yahweh; O God, (Y)lift up Your hand.
(Z)Do not forget the afflicted.
13 Why has the wicked (AA)spurned God?
He has said in his heart, “You will not require it.”

Resh

14 You have seen it, for You have beheld (AB)mischief and vexation to [q]take it into Your hand.
The [r](AC)unfortunate commits himself to You;
You have been the (AD)helper of the orphan.

Shin

15 (AE)Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer,
[s](AF)Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

16 Yahweh is (AG)King forever and ever;
(AH)Nations have perished from His land.

Tav

17 O Yahweh, You have heard the (AI)desire of the [t]humble;
You will (AJ)strengthen their heart, (AK)You will cause Your ear to give heed
18 To give justice to the (AL)orphan and the (AM)oppressed,
So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause (AN)terror.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 10:1 This poem continues the acrostic pattern started in Ps 9
  2. Psalm 10:1 Or Your eyes
  3. Psalm 10:2 Lit burn
  4. Psalm 10:2 Or They will be caught
  5. Psalm 10:3 Or blesses the greedy man
  6. Psalm 10:4 Or plots
  7. Psalm 10:5 Lit are strong
  8. Psalm 10:6 Lit To
  9. Psalm 10:8 Lit place of lying in wait
  10. Psalm 10:8 Lit lie hidden
  11. Psalm 10:8 Or poor
  12. Psalm 10:9 Or thicket
  13. Psalm 10:10 Or is crushed
  14. Psalm 10:10 Or is bowed down
  15. Psalm 10:10 Or poor
  16. Psalm 10:10 Or into his claws
  17. Psalm 10:14 Lit give
  18. Psalm 10:14 Or poor
  19. Psalm 10:15 Or May You seek
  20. Psalm 10:17 Or afflicted, cf. Ps 10:12