The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 10
In brief
Psalm 10 asks a question many people ask: why does God seem absent when the wicked triumph? The psalmist describes the pride, violence and arrogance of the one who thinks God does not intervene. He then cries out to God to arise and not forget the afflicted. The psalm ends with a certainty: the LORD is king forever, he hears the suffering, strengthens their heart and gives justice to the orphan and the oppressed.
The chapter in 4 parts
1Why do you stand far off, Yahweh? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught in the schemes that they devise.
3For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings. He blesses the greedy and condemns Yahweh.
4The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God.
5His ways are prosperous at all times. He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.
6He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.”
7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
8He lies in wait near the villages. From ambushes, he murders the innocent. His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.
9He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush. He lies in wait to catch the helpless. He catches the helpless when he draws him in his net.
10The helpless are crushed. They collapse. They fall under his strength.
11He says in his heart, “God has forgotten. He hides his face. He will never see it.”
12Arise, Yahweh! God, lift up your hand! Don’t forget the helpless.
13Why does the wicked person condemn God, and say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account?”
14But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.
15Break the arm of the wicked. As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none.
16Yahweh is King forever and ever! The nations will perish out of his land.
17Yahweh, you have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear,
18to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.
Key verses
Why do you stand far off, Yahweh? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
The psalm begins with a frank complaint: God seems far away and hidden at the very moment we need him. The Bible allows us to ask God this question.
The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God.
The wicked live as if God did not exist or did not punish. The idea that God is indifferent to evil feeds their confidence.
Arise, Yahweh! God, lift up your hand! Don’t forget the helpless.
The psalmist moves from description to prayer: he asks God to arise and not forget the afflicted.
But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.
Against the impression of absence, the verse affirms that God sees trouble and grief, and takes up the cause of the afflicted and the fatherless.
Yahweh, you have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear, to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.
The psalm ends in assurance: God hears, strengthens the heart of the suffering and brings justice. Prayer turns complaint into trust.
Test your knowledge
Frequently asked questions about Psalm 10
What does Psalm 10 mean?
It is the prayer of a person who sees evil prosper and wonders where God is. The psalm describes the wicked in detail, then begs God to intervene. It ends with the conviction that God sees, hears and will bring justice to the oppressed. It teaches us to voice our complaint honestly while keeping faith.
Who wrote Psalm 10?
Unlike its neighbors, this psalm has no title. In the ancient Greek version and in some manuscripts, it forms a single text with Psalm 9, which ties it to David according to tradition. The two texts are linked by a partial acrostic structure, but scholars remain divided.
How can I pray or meditate on Psalm 10 when God seems silent?
Read it all the way through, then take up verse 1 to tell God, unfiltered, what you feel. Name an injustice that touches you, then pray with verse 12 that he would arise. Finish with verses 17 and 18 by choosing to believe he hears you, even without an immediate answer.
Articles quoting Psalm 10
World English Bible translation — public domain.