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A Complaint About Evil People

10 Lord, why ·are you [L do you stand] so far away?
    Why do you hide ·when there is [L in times of] ·trouble [distress]?
Proudly the wicked ·chase down [hunt down; persecute] ·those who suffer [or the poor].
    Let them be caught in ·their own traps [L the schemes they have thought up].
They ·brag [boast] about the ·things they want [L cravings/desires of their soul].
    ·They bless the greedy but [or The greedy curse and] ·hate [reject] the Lord.
The wicked people are too proud.
    They do not ·look for [pursue; seek] God;
    there is no room for God in their thoughts.
·They always succeed [L Their ways are always successful/prosperous].
    ·They are far from keeping your laws [L Your judgments are above their grasp];
    they ·make fun of [sneer/scoff at] their enemies.
They say ·to themselves [L in their hearts], “·Nothing bad will ever happen to me [L I will never be moved/shaken];
    I will never ·be ruined [have trouble/be harmed].”
Their mouths are full of curses, ·lies [deceit], and ·threats [violence];
    ·they use their tongues for [L under their tongues is] ·sin [trouble] and evil [Rom. 3:14].
They ·hide [L lie in ambush] near the villages.
    They ·look for innocent people to kill [murder the innocent; Prov. 1:11];
    ·they watch in secret [L their eyes look intently] for the helpless.
They ·wait in hiding [L lie in ambush in a covert/cover] like a lion.
    They ·wait [L lie] to catch poor people;
    they catch the poor in nets and drag them off.
10 The poor are crushed and thrown down;
    they ·are defeated [L fall] ·because the others are stronger [L by their might].
11 The wicked ·think [L say in their hearts], “God has forgotten us.
    He ·doesn’t see what is happening [L has hidden his face and does not see anything].”

12 Lord, rise up and ·punish the wicked [L raise your hand, God].
    Don’t forget those who ·need help [are oppressed].
13 Why do wicked people ·hate [despise] God?
    They say ·to themselves [L in their hearts], “·God won’t punish us [L You will not pursue].”
14 Lord, surely you see these ·cruel [troublesome] and ·evil [grievous] things;
    look at them and ·do something [L put it in your hands].
·People in trouble [L The helpless] ·look to you for help [entrust/abandon themselves to your hands].
    You are the one who helps the orphans.
15 Break the ·power [L hand] of wicked and evil people.
    ·Punish them for the evil they have done [L You will seek out their wickedness until you find none].

16 The Lord is King forever and ever.
    ·Destroy from your land those nations [L The nations will perish from his land].
17 Lord, you have heard ·what the poor people want [the desires of the poor].
    ·Do what they ask [L You will strengthen their heart], and ·listen to them [L you will cause your ear to pay attention].
18 ·Protect [L Bring justice to] the orphans and ·put an end to suffering [L the oppressed]
    so ·they will no longer be afraid of evil people [L those from the earth may terrify no more].

Psalm 10[a]

Why, Lord, do you stand far off?(A)
    Why do you hide yourself(B) in times of trouble?

In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,(C)
    who are caught in the schemes he devises.
He boasts(D) about the cravings of his heart;
    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.(E)
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
    in all his thoughts there is no room for God.(F)
His ways are always prosperous;
    your laws are rejected by[b] him;
    he sneers at all his enemies.
He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
    He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”(G)

His mouth is full(H) of lies and threats;(I)
    trouble and evil are under his tongue.(J)
He lies in wait(K) near the villages;
    from ambush he murders the innocent.(L)
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
    like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;(M)
    he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.(N)
10 His victims are crushed,(O) they collapse;
    they fall under his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;(P)
    he covers his face and never sees.”(Q)

12 Arise,(R) Lord! Lift up your hand,(S) O God.
    Do not forget the helpless.(T)
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?(U)
    Why does he say to himself,
    “He won’t call me to account”?(V)
14 But you, God, see the trouble(W) of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;(X)
    you are the helper(Y) of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;(Z)
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;(AA)
    the nations(AB) will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;(AC)
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,(AD)
18 defending the fatherless(AE) and the oppressed,(AF)
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 10:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
  2. Psalm 10:5 See Septuagint; Hebrew / they are haughty, and your laws are far from