Psalm 10 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

Why Do You Hide Yourself?

1 Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (Ps 9:9; Ps 13:1; Ps 22:1; Ps 22:11; Ps 22:19; Ps 35:22; Ps 38:21)

Ps 9:9Ps 13:1Ps 22:1Ps 22:11Ps 22:19Ps 35:22Ps 38:21

2 In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. (Ps 7:15) 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses^[1] and renounces the Lord. (Job 1:5; Job 1:11; Ps 10:13; Ps 94:4; Isa 3:9)

Job 1:5Job 1:11Ps 10:13Ps 94:4Isa 3:9

4 In the pride of his face^[2] the wicked does not seek him;^[3] all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” (Ps 10:3; Ps 14:1; Ps 53:1) 5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. (Ps 12:5; Isa 26:11) 6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.” (Ps 10:11; Ps 10:13; Re 18:7) 7 His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. (Job 20:12; Ps 5:5; Ps 6:8; Ps 7:14; Ps 36:3; Ps 55:11; Ps 72:14; Ps 140:3; So 4:11; Ro 3:14)

Job 20:12Ps 5:5Ps 6:8Ps 7:14Ps 36:3Ps 55:11Ps 72:14Ps 140:3So 4:11Ro 3:14

8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; (Ps 17:12; Ps 64:4; Hab 3:14) 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. (Job 38:40; Ps 9:15; Ps 17:12; Ps 59:3; Mic 7:2)

Job 38:40Ps 9:15Ps 17:12Ps 59:3Mic 7:2

10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.” (Job 22:13; Ps 73:11; Ps 94:7; Eze 8:12; Eze 9:9; Zep 1:12)

Job 22:13Ps 73:11Ps 94:7Eze 8:12Eze 9:9Zep 1:12

12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. (Ps 3:7; Ps 9:12; Ps 9:18; Mic 5:9)

Ps 3:7Ps 9:12Ps 9:18Mic 5:9

13 Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”? (Ps 9:12; Ps 10:3) 14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. (Ps 33:13; Ps 68:5; Ps 146:9; Ho 14:3; 2Ti 1:12; 1Pe 4:19)

Ps 33:13Ps 68:5Ps 146:9Ho 14:32Ti 1:121Pe 4:19

15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none. (Ps 37:17; Ps 37:36; Isa 41:12) 16 The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. (Ex 15:18; De 8:20; Ps 29:10; Jer 10:10; La 5:19; Da 4:34; Da 6:26; 1Ti 1:17; Re 11:15)

Ex 15:18De 8:20Ps 29:10Jer 10:10La 5:19Da 4:34Da 6:261Ti 1:17Re 11:15

17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear (1Ch 29:18) 18 to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more. (Ps 9:9; Ps 9:19; Ps 17:14; Ps 74:21; Ps 82:3; Isa 1:17; Isa 11:4)

Ps 9:9Ps 9:19Ps 17:14Ps 74:21Ps 82:3Isa 1:17Isa 11:4

New International Version

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^[1] 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, 18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.

King James Version

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' 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.

New International Reader’s Version

1 LORD, why are you so far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2 An evil person is proud and hunts down those who are weak. He catches weak people by making clever plans. 3 He boasts about what his heart desires. He speaks well of those who always want more. He attacks the LORD with his words. 4 Because he is proud, that evil person doesn’t turn to the LORD. There is no room for God in any of his thoughts. 5 Everything always goes well for him. So he is proud. He doesn’t want to have anything to do with God’s laws. He makes fun of all his enemies. 6 He says to himself, ‘I will always be secure.’ He promises himself, ‘No one will ever harm me.’ 7 His mouth is full of lies and warnings. With his tongue he speaks evil and makes trouble. 8 Sinful people hide and wait near the villages. From their hiding places they murder people who aren’t guilty. They watch in secret for those they want to attack. 9 They hide and wait like a lion in the bushes. From their hiding places they wait to catch those who are helpless. They catch them and drag them off in their nets. 10 Those they have attacked are beaten up. They fall to the ground. They fall because their attackers are too strong for them. 11 Sinful people say to themselves, ‘God will never notice. He covers his face. He never sees us.’ 12 LORD, rise up! God, show your power! Don’t forget those who are helpless. 13 Why do sinful people attack you with their words? Why do they say to themselves, ‘He won’t hold us accountable’? 14 God, you see the problems of people in trouble. You take note of their pain. You do something about it. So those who are attacked place themselves in your care. You help children whose fathers have died. 15 Take away the power of sinful people. Hold them accountable for the evil things they do. Uncover all the evil they have done. 16 The LORD is King for ever and ever. The nations will disappear from his land. 17 LORD, you hear the desires of those who are hurting. You cheer them up and give them hope. You listen to their cries. 18 You stand up for those whose fathers have died and for those who have been treated badly. You do it so that mere human beings made of dust may not terrify others anymore.