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10 Why do you stand far off, Yahweh?
    Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak.
    They are caught in the schemes that they devise.
For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings.
    He blesses the greedy and condemns Yahweh.
The wicked, in the pride of his face,
    has no room in his thoughts for God.
His ways are prosperous at all times.
    He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight.
As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.
    He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken.
    For generations I shall have no trouble.”
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression.
    Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
He lies in wait near the villages.
    From ambushes, he murders the innocent.
His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.
He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush.
    He lies in wait to catch the helpless.
    He catches the helpless when he draws him in his net.
10 The helpless are crushed.
    They collapse.
    They fall under his strength.
11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten.
    He hides his face.
    He will never see it.”

12 Arise, Yahweh!
    God, lift up your hand!
    Don’t forget the helpless.
13 Why does the wicked person condemn God,
    and say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account?”
14 But you do see trouble and grief.
    You consider it to take it into your hand.
    You help the victim and the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked.
    As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none.
16 Yahweh is King forever and ever!
    The nations will perish out of his land.
17 Yahweh, you have heard the desire of the humble.
    You will prepare their heart.
    You will cause your ear to hear,
18     to judge the fatherless and the oppressed,
    that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.

Psalm 10

O Lord, why do you stand so far away?
    Why do you hide when I am in trouble?
The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.
    Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.
For they brag about their evil desires;
    they praise the greedy and curse the Lord.

The wicked are too proud to seek God.
    They seem to think that God is dead.
Yet they succeed in everything they do.
    They do not see your punishment awaiting them.
    They sneer at all their enemies.
They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us!
    We will be free of trouble forever!”

Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.[a]
    Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
They lurk in ambush in the villages,
    waiting to murder innocent people.
    They are always searching for helpless victims.
Like lions crouched in hiding,
    they wait to pounce on the helpless.
Like hunters they capture the helpless
    and drag them away in nets.
10 Their helpless victims are crushed;
    they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
11 The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us!
    He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”

12 Arise, O Lord!
    Punish the wicked, O God!
    Do not ignore the helpless!
13 Why do the wicked get away with despising God?
    They think, “God will never call us to account.”
14 But you see the trouble and grief they cause.
    You take note of it and punish them.
The helpless put their trust in you.
    You defend the orphans.

15 Break the arms of these wicked, evil people!
    Go after them until the last one is destroyed.
16 The Lord is king forever and ever!
    The godless nations will vanish from the land.
17 Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless.
    Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
    so mere people can no longer terrify them.

Footnotes

  1. 10:7 Greek version reads cursing and bitterness. Compare Rom 3:14.