Psalms 10

Why do you stand far off

O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?a ²The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor. Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.b ³For they brag about their evil desires; they praise the greedy and curse the Lord.

⁴The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead. ⁵Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. They sneer at all their enemies. ⁶They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!” ⁷Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats. Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.c

⁸They lurk in ambush in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people. They are always searching for helpless victims. ⁹Like lions crouched in hiding, they wait to pounce on the helpless. Like hunters they capture the helpless and drag them away in nets. ¹⁰Their helpless victims are crushed; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.

¹¹The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us! He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!” ¹²Arise, O Lord! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless! ¹³Why do the wicked get away with despising God? They think, “God will never call us to account.” ¹⁴But 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.

¹⁵Break the arms of these wicked, evil people! Go after them until the last one is destroyed. ¹⁶The Lord is king forever and ever! The godless nations will vanish from the land. ¹⁷Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.d

¹⁸You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.