Psalm 10

¹Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?

Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

²In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor—

let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.

³For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart,

those greedy for gain curse and renounce the Lord.

⁴In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”;

all their thoughts are, “There is no God.”

⁵Their ways prosper at all times;

your judgments are on high, out of their sight;

as for their foes, they scoff at them.

⁶They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved;

throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.”

⁷Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;

under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.

⁸They sit in ambush in the villages;

in hiding places they murder the innocent.

Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;

⁹they lurk in secret like a lion in its covert;

they lurk that they may seize the poor;

they seize the poor and drag them off in their net.

¹⁰They stoop, they crouch,

and the helpless fall by their might.

¹¹They think in their heart, “God has forgotten,

he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

¹²Rise up, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;

do not forget the oppressed.

¹³Why do the wicked renounce God,

and say in their hearts, “You will not call us to account”?

¹⁴But you do see! Indeed you note trouble and grief,

that you may take it into your hands;

the helpless commit themselves to you;

you have been the helper of the orphan.

¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers;

seek out their wickedness until you find none.

¹⁶The Lord is king forever and ever;

the nations shall perish from his land.

¹⁷O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek;

you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear

¹⁸to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed,

so that those from earth may strike terror no more.