Psalm 10

Need for God’s Justice

¹Lord, ^a,^b why do you stand so far away? ^c

Why do you hide in times of trouble? ^d

²In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue their victims;

let them be caught in the schemes they have devised. ^e

³For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings; ^f

the one who is greedy curses ^g and despises the Lord. ^h

⁴In all his scheming,

the wicked person arrogantly thinks, ⁱ

“There’s no accountability,

since there’s no God.” ^j

⁵His ways are always secure; ^k

your lofty judgments have no effect on him; ^l

he scoffs at all his adversaries. ^m

⁶He says to himself, “I will never be moved —

from generation to generation I will be without calamity.” ⁿ

⁷Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;

trouble and malice are under his tongue. ^o

⁸He waits in ambush near settlements; ^p

he kills the innocent in secret places.

His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless; ^q

⁹he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket.

He lurks in order to seize a victim;

he seizes a victim and drags him in his net.

¹⁰So he is oppressed and beaten down;

helpless people fall because of the wicked one’s strength. ^r

¹¹He says to himself, “God has forgotten;

he hides his face and will never see.” ^s

¹²Rise up, Lord God! Lift up your hand. ^t

Do not forget the oppressed. ^u

¹³Why has the wicked person despised God?

He says to himself, “You will not demand an account.” ^v

¹⁴But you yourself have seen trouble and grief,

observing it in order to take the matter into your hands. ^w

The helpless one entrusts himself to you;

you are a helper of the fatherless. ^x

¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked, evil person, ^y

until you look for his wickedness,

but it can’t be found. ^z

¹⁶The Lord is King forever and ever; ^aa

the nations will perish from his land. ^ab

¹⁷Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble;

you will strengthen their hearts.

You will listen carefully, ^ac

¹⁸doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed

so that mere humans from the earth may terrify them no more. ^ad