Psalms10
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1 Why standest thou afar off, O Jehovah? Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?
2 In the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued; Let them be taken in the devices that they have conceived.
3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, And the covetous renounceth, yea, contemneth Jehovah.
4 The wicked, in the pride of his countenance, saith, He will not require it. All his thoughts are, There is no God.
5 His ways are firm at all times; Thy judgments are far above out of his sight: As for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.
6 He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved; To all generations I shall not be in adversity.
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression: Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
8 He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; In the secret places doth he murder the innocent; His eyes are privily set against the helpless.
9 He lurketh in secret as a lion in his covert; He lieth in wait to catch the poor: He doth catch the poor, when he draweth him in his net.
10 He croucheth, he boweth down, And the helpless fall by his strong ones.
11 He saith in his heart: God hath forgotten; He hideth his face, he will never see it.
12 Arise, O Jehovah; O God, lift up thy hand: Forget not the poor.
13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God, And say in his heart, Thou wilt not require it?
14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: The helpless committeth himself unto thee; Thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break thou the arm of the wicked; And as for the evil man, seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
16 Jehovah is King for ever and ever: The nations are perished out of his land.
17 Jehovah, thou hast heard the desire of the meek: Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear;
18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, That man who is of the earth may be terrible no more.
Study
Psalms 10Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 10. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: 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).
vv1-11
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.
vv12-18
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.
Key Words
עָמַד: to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)
רָחוֹק: remote, literally or figuratively, of place or time; specifically, precious; often used adverbially (with preposition)
עָלַם: to veil from sight, i.e. conceal (literally or figuratively)
עֵת: time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.
צָרָה: tightness (i.e. figuratively, trouble); transitively, a female rival:
גַּאֲוָה: arrogance or majesty; by implication, (concretely) ornament
רָשָׁע: morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
דָּלַק: to flame (literally or figuratively)
עָנִי: depressed, in mind or circumstances
תָּפַשׂ: to manipulate, i.e. seize; chiefly to capture, wield, specifically, to overlay; figuratively, to use unwarrantably
Cross References
Psalms 10Paul explicitly quotes the Greek translation of verse 7 ("whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness").
Echoes the practical atheism and internal thought process of the wicked who say "there is no God."
Supported by JFB
The wicked's disregard of God's providential government because His judgments are far "out of sight."
Supported by JFB
Contrast of the believer's prepared, fixed, and trusting heart with the unstable pride of the wicked.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the urgent pleading of the suffering saint when God appears to stand far off.
Supported by JFB
Intra-chapter parallel of the wicked's internal speech ("He hath said in his heart...") denying accountability.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel plea for God to "arise" and not let frail mortal man prevail.
Supported by JFB
Associates high looks and a proud heart with the oppression of one's neighbor.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates how pride of heart is outwardly manifested in
Supported by Matthew Poole
Uses identical imagery of breaking the "arm" (the power) of the wicked.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Connects the everlasting reign of Yahweh with the destruction of the wicked heathen nations.
Supported by JFB
Affirms God's covenant promise to hear the cry of the oppressed and fatherless.
Supported by John Calvin
Describes the wicked lying in wait secretly for the innocent, mimicking the terminology here.
Supported by JFB
Intra-chapter confirmation that God sees mischief and is the helper of the fatherless.
Supported by JFB