Psalm 10

1 Warum, Jehova, stehst du fern, verbirgst dich in Zeiten der Drangsal?

2 In seinem Hochmut verfolgt der Gesetzlose hitzig den Elenden. Sie werden erhascht werden in den Anschlägen, die sie ersonnen haben.

3 Denn der Gesetzlose rühmt sich des Gelüstes seiner Seele; und er segnet den Habsüchtigen, er verachtet Jehova.

4 Der Gesetzlose spricht nach seinem Hochmut: Er wird nicht nachforschen. Alle seine Gedanken sind: Es ist kein Gott!

5 Es gelingen seine Wege allezeit; hoch sind deine Gerichte, weit von ihm entfernt; alle seine Widersacher, er bläst sie an.

6 Er spricht in seinem Herzen: Ich werde nicht wanken; von Geschlecht zu Geschlecht werde ich in keinem Unglück sein.

7 Sein Mund ist voll Fluchens und Truges und Bedrückung; unter seiner Zunge ist Mühsal und Unheil.

8 Er sitzt im Hinterhalt der Dörfer, an verborgenen Örtern ermordet er den Unschuldigen; seine Augen spähen dem Unglücklichen nach.

9 Er lauert im Versteck, wie ein Löwe in seinem Dickicht; er lauert, um den Elenden zu erhaschen; er erhascht den Elenden, indem er ihn in sein Netz zieht.

10 Er duckt sich, bückt sich, und in seine starken Klauen fallen die Unglücklichen.

11 Er spricht in seinem Herzen: Gott vergißt; er verbirgt sein Angesicht, niemals sieht er's!

12 Stehe auf, Jehova! Gott, erhebe deine Hand! Vergiß nicht der Elenden!

13 Warum verachtet der Gesetzlose Gott, spricht in seinem Herzen, du werdest nicht nachforschen?

14 Du hast es gesehen, denn du, du schaust auf Mühsal und Gram, um zu vergelten durch deine Hand; dir überläßt es der Unglückliche, der Waise Helfer bist du.

15 Zerbrich den Arm des Gesetzlosen; und der Böse, suche seine Gesetzlosigkeit, bis daß du sie nicht mehr findest!

16 Jehova ist König immer und ewiglich; die Nationen sind umgekommen aus seinem Lande.

17 Den Wunsch der Sanftmütigen hast du gehört, Jehova; du befestigtest ihr Herz, ließest dein Ohr aufmerken,

18 um Recht zu schaffen der Waise und dem Unterdrückten, daß der Mensch, der von der Erde ist, hinfort nicht mehr schrecke.

Psalm 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.