Psalm 10

All Is Not As It Appears

1 Why, O 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 of the cravings of his heart;

he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.

4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him;

in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

5 His ways are always prosperous;

he is haughty and your laws are far from him;

he sneers at all his enemies.

6 He says to himself, “Nothing will shake me;

I’ll always be happy and never have trouble.”

7 His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats;

trouble and evil are under his tongue.

8 He lies in wait near the villages;

from ambush he murders the innocent,

watching in secret for his victims.

9 He lies in wait like a lion in cover;

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 has forgotten;

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, O God, do see trouble and grief;

you consider it to take it in hand.

The victim commits himself to you;

you are the helper of the fatherless.

15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man;

call him to account for his wickedness

that would not be found out.

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;

the nations will perish from his land.

17 You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted;

you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,

18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed,

in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.