Psalm 10

1 Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why dost thou overlook us in times of need, in affliction?

2 While the ungodly one acts proudly, the poor is hotly pursued: the wicked are taken in the crafty counsels which they imagine.

3 Because the sinner praises himself for the desires of his heart; and the unjust one blesses himself.

4 The sinner has provoked the Lord: according to the abundance of his pride he will not seek after him: God is not before him.

5 His ways are profane at all times; thy judgments are removed from before him: he will gain the mastery over all his enemies.

6 For he has said in his heart, I shall not be moved, continuing without evil from generation to generation.

7 Whose mouth is full of cursing, and bitterness, and fraud: under his tongue are trouble and pain.

8 He lies in wait with rich men in secret places, in order to slay the innocent: his eyes are set against the poor.

9 He lies in wait in secret as a lion in his den: he lies in wait to ravish the poor, to ravish the poor when he draws him after him: he will bring him down in his snare.

10 He will bow down and fall when he has mastered the poor.

11 For he has said in his heart, God has forgotten: he has turned away his face so as never to look.

12 Arise, O Lord God; let thy hand be lifted up: forget not the poor.

13 Wherefore, has the wicked provoked God? for he has said in his heart, He will not require it.

14 Thou seest it; for thou dost observe trouble and wrath, to deliver them into thy hands: the poor has been left to thee; thou wast a helper to the orphan.

15 Break thou the arm of the sinner and wicked man: his sin shall be sought for, and shall not be found.

16 The Lord shall reign for ever, even for ever and ever: ye Gentiles shall perish out his land.

17 The Lord has heard the desire of the poor: thine ear has inclined to the preparation of their heart;

18 to plead for the orphan and afflicted, that man may no more boast upon the earth.

Psalm 10 Meaning and Commentary

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.