Psalms10
New King James Version
1 Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.
4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.
5 His ways are always prospering; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight; As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
6 He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity.”
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.
8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the secret places he murders the innocent; His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
9 He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
10 So he crouches, he lies low, That the helpless may fall by his strength.
11 He has said in his heart, “God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see.”
12 Arise, O Lord! O God, lift up Your hand! Do not forget the humble.
13 Why do the wicked renounce God? He has said in his heart, “You will not require an account.”
14 But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief, To repay it by Your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man; Seek out his wickedness until You find none.
16 The Lord is King forever and ever; The nations have perished out of His land.
17 Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,
18 To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress 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