Psalms 10

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 brags about what his heart longs for. 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 of his enemies.

6 He says to himself, "I will always be secure. I will always be happy. I'll never have any trouble."

7 His mouth is full of curses and 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 those who aren't guilty of doing anything wrong. 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 doesn't pay any attention. 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 trouble and sadness. You take note of it. 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 bad and 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 longings 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 beaten down. You do it so that no one made of dust may terrify others anymore.

Psalms 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

The psalmist complains of the wickedness of the wicked. (1-11) He prays to God to appear for the relief of his people. (12-18)

Verses 1-11 God's withdrawings are very grievous to his people, especially in times of trouble. We stand afar off from God by our unbelief, and then complain that God stands afar off from us. Passionate words against bad men do more hurt than good; if we speak of their badness, let it be to the Lord in prayer; he can make them better. The sinner proudly glories in his power and success. Wicked people will not seek after God, that is, will not call upon him. They live without prayer, and that is living without God. They have many thoughts, many objects and devices, but think not of the Lord in any of them; they have no submission to his will, nor aim for his glory. The cause of this is pride. Men think it below them to be religious. They could not break all the laws of justice and goodness toward man, if they had not first shaken off all sense of religion.

Verses 12-18 The psalmist speaks with astonishment, at the wickedness of the wicked, and at the patience and forbearance of God. God prepares the heart for prayer, by kindling holy desires, and strengthening our most holy faith, fixing the thoughts, and raising the affections, and then he graciously accepts the prayer. The preparation of the heart is from the Lord, and we must seek unto him for it. Let the poor, afflicted, persecuted, or tempted believer recollect, that Satan is the prince of this world, and that he is the father of all the ungodly. The children of God cannot expect kindness, truth, or justice from such persons as crucified the Lord of glory. But this once suffering Jesus, now reigns as King over all the earth, and of his dominion there shall be no end. Let us commit ourselves unto him, humbly trusting in his mercy. He will rescue the believer from every temptation, and break the arm of every wicked oppressor, and bruise Satan under our feet shortly. But in heaven alone will all sin and temptation be shut out, though in this life the believer has a foretaste of deliverance.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 10

This psalm in the Septuagint version, and those that follow it, is a part and continuation of the preceding psalm, and makes but one with it; hence in these versions the number of the following psalms differ from others, and what is the eleventh with others is the tenth with them, and so on to the hundred fourteenth and one hundred fifteenth, which also are put into one; but in order to make up the whole number of one hundred and fifty, the hundred sixteenth and the hundred forty seventh are both divided into two; and indeed the subject of this psalm is much the same with the former. Antichrist and antichristian times are very manifestly described; the impiety, blasphemy, and atheism of the man of sin; his pride, haughtiness, boasting of himself, and presumption of security; his persecution of the poor, and murder of innocents, are plainly pointed at; nor does the character of the man of the earth agree to well to any as to him: his times are times of trouble; but at the end of them the kingdom of Christ will appear in great glory, when the Gentiles, the antichristian nations, will perish out of his land, Ps 10:1-11,16,18.