Psalms 10

¹ Why dost thou stand afar off, O LORD? Why dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble?

² In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes which they have devised.

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 mayest 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.