#psalm 10

Why Do You Hide Yourself?

1 Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.

4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.

9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.

10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.

11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.

13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.

14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.

17 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress. — Psalm 10 | King James Version (KJV) The King James Version Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Exodus 15:18; Exodus 22:23; Deuteronomy 8:20; 1 Kings 9:3; 1 Chronicles 29:18; Job 20:12; Job 22:13; Job 24:14; Job 38:15; Psalm 1:1; Psalm 7:16; Psalm 9:12; Psalm 13:1; Psalm 14:1; Psalm 17:4; Psalm 17:7; Psalm 17:12; Psalm 22:1; Psalm 22:11; Psalm 28:5; Psalm 30:6; Psalm 36:1-2; Psalm 37:17; Psalm 49:6; Psalm 49:18; Psalm 59:7; Psalm 146:9; Proverbs 24:15; Isaiah 29:15; Isaiah 29:20; Matthew 5:21; Matthew 13:19; Romans 3:14; Revelation 18:7

8 They sit in deserted doorways and alleys, poised to ambush and murder the innocent. Their eyes keep a sharp lookout for the helpless. 9 They lurk under cover like beasts, lying in wait for the weak. 10 So many of us stumble and are crushed by their violent strength. 11 These wicked men think God overlooks them, and does not see their crimes. 12 O God, rouse Yourself and lift Your hand to save us! Do not forget us in our affliction! 13 Do not let the wicked get away with renouncing You. Do not let them say in their hearts, "God will never call us to account." 14 You certainly see the trouble they cause. Repay them with Your righteous hand, we pray. The helpless commit themselves to Your care, for You are the Guardian of abandoned little ones. 15 Break the power of these worshipers of violence. Search out and destroy all their evil. 16 For You, Shaddai, will reign forever, but the wicked shall perish from the earth. 17 O God, You hear the cry of the humble and fix their hearts firmly on You. 18 You give fair hearing and just judgment to children and all the oppressed, so that cruelty might be restrained, and the violent terrorize no more.

Psalm 10 (feminine translation from Swallow's Nest: A Feminine Reading of the Psalms by Marchiene Rienstra)

Possible uses of this psalm:

Psalm 10:1-2, NRSV

Psalm 10

1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?    Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,    who are caught in the schemes he devises. 3 He boasts about the cravings of his heart;    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. 4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;    in all his thoughts there is no room for God. 5 His ways are always prosperous;    your laws are rejected by[b] him;    he sneers at all his enemies. 6 He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”    He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”

7 His mouth is full of lies and threats;    trouble and evil are under his tongue. 8 He lies in wait near the villages;    from ambush he murders the innocent.

His eyes watch in secret for his victims; 9    like a lion in cover he lies in wait. He lies in wait to catch the helpless;    he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. 10 His victims are crushed, they collapse;    they fall under his strength. 11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;    he covers his face and never sees.”

12 Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.    Do not forget the helpless. 13 Why does the wicked man revile God?    Why does he say to himself,    “He won’t call me to account”? 14 But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;    you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you;    you are the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked man;    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness    that would not otherwise be found out.

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;    the nations will perish from his land. 17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,