Psalms 10

1 Lord, why are you so far away? Why do you hide when there is trouble?

2 Proudly the wicked chase down those who suffer. Let them be caught in their own traps.

3 They brag about the things they want. They bless the greedy but hate the Lord.

4 The wicked people are too proud. They do not look for God; there is no room for God in their thoughts.

5 They always succeed. They are far from keeping your laws; they make fun of their enemies.

6 They say to themselves, "Nothing bad will ever happen to me; I will never be ruined."

7 Their mouths are full of curses, lies, and threats; they use their tongues for sin and evil.

8 They hide near the villages. They look for innocent people to kill; they watch in secret for the helpless.

9 They wait in hiding like a lion. They wait to catch poor people; they catch the poor in nets.

10 The poor are thrown down and crushed; they are defeated because the others are stronger.

11 The wicked think, "God has forgotten us. He doesn't see what is happening."

12 Lord, rise up and punish the wicked. Don't forget those who need help.

13 Why do wicked people hate God? They say to themselves, "God won't punish us."

14 Lord, surely you see these cruel and evil things; look at them and do something. People in trouble look to you for help. You are the one who helps the orphans.

15 Break the power of wicked people. Punish them for the evil they have done.

16 The Lord is King forever and ever. Destroy from your land those nations that do not worship you.

17 Lord, you have heard what the poor people want. Do what they ask, and listen to them.

18 Protect the orphans and put an end to suffering so they will no longer be afraid of evil people. For the director of music. Of David.

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Images for Psalms 10

Psalms 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.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible