Psalms 10

A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked.

1Why 1do You stand far away, Lord? Why 2do You hide 3Yourself in times of trouble?2In 4arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the needy; 5Let them be 6caught in the plots which they have devised.

3For the wicked 7boasts of his 8soul’s desire, And 9the greedy person curses and 10shows disrespect to the Lord.4The wicked, 11in his haughtiness, 12does not seek Him. 13There is no God in all his schemes.

5His ways 14succeed at all times; Yet Your judgments are on high, 15out of his sight; As for all his enemies, he snorts at them.6He says to himself, “16I will not be moved; 17Throughout the generations 18I will not be in adversity.”7His 19mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and 20oppression; 21Under his tongue is harm and injustice.8He sits in the 22lurking places of the villages; He 23kills the innocent in the secret places; His eyes 24surreptitiously watch for the 2526unfortunate.9He lurks in secret like 27a lion in his 28lair; He 29lurks to catch 30the needy; He catches the needy when he pulls him into his 31net.10Then he crushes the needy one, who cowers; And 32unfortunate people fall by his mighty power.11He 33says to himself, “God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”

12Arise, Lord; God, 34lift up Your hand. 35Do not forget the humble.13Why has the wicked 36treated God disrespectfully? He has said to himself, “37You will not require an account.”14You have seen it, for You have looked at 38harm and provocation to 39take it into Your hand. The 4041unfortunate commits himself to You; You have been the 42helper of the orphan.1543Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer, 4445Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

16The Lord is 46King forever and ever; 47Nations have perished from His land.17Lord, You have heard the 48desire of the humble; You will 49strengthen their heart, 50You will make Your ear attentive18To 51vindicate the 52orphan and the 53oppressed, So that mankind, which is of the earth, will no longer cause 54terror.