Psalm 10

1 HERR, warum trittst du so ferne, verbirgst dich zur Zeit der Not?

2 Weil der Gottlose Übermut treibt, muß der Elende leiden; sie hängen sich aneinander und erdenken böse Tücke.

3 Denn der Gottlose rühmt sich seines Mutwillens, und der Geizige sagt dem Herrn ab und lästert ihn.

4 Der Gottlose meint in seinem Stolz, er frage nicht darnach; in allen seinen Tücken hält er Gott für nichts.

5 Er fährt fort mit seinem Tun immerdar; deine Gerichte sind ferne von ihm; er handelt trotzig mit allen seinen Feinden.

6 Er spricht in seinem Herzen: Ich werde nimmermehr darniederliegen; es wird für und für keine Not haben.

7 Sein Mund ist voll Fluchens, Falschheit und Trugs; seine Zunge richtet Mühe und Arbeit an.

8 Er sitzt und lauert in den Dörfern; er erwürgt die Unschuldigen heimlich; seine Augen spähen nach dem Armen.

9 Er lauert im Verborgenen wie ein Löwe in der Höhle; er lauert, daß er den Elenden erhasche, und er hascht ihn, wenn er ihn in sein Netz zieht.

10 Er zerschlägt und drückt nieder und stößt zu Boden den Armen mit Gewalt.

11 Er spricht in seinem Herzen: Gott hat's vergessen; er hat sein Antlitz verborgen, er wird's nimmermehr sehen.

12 Stehe auf, HERR; Gott, erhebe deine Hand; vergiß der Elenden nicht!

13 Warum soll der Gottlose Gott lästern und in seinem Herzen sprechen: Du fragest nicht darnach?

14 Du siehest ja, denn du schauest das Elend und den Jammer; es steht in deinen Händen. Die Armen befehlens's dir; du bist der Waisen Helfer.

15 Zerbrich den Arm des Gottlosen und suche heim das Böse, so wird man sein gottlos Wesen nimmer finden.

16 Der HERR ist König immer und ewiglich; die Heiden müssen aus seinem Land umkommen.

17 Das Verlangen der Elenden hörst du, HERR; ihr Herz ist gewiß, daß dein Ohr darauf merket,

18 daß du Recht schaffest dem Waisen und Armen, daß der Mensch nicht mehr trotze auf Erden.

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.