Psalm 10

Psalm 10 is a lament of a righteous person who witnesses the arrogance and cruelty of the wicked flourishing. The psalmist cries out to God, asking why He seems distant and hidden while the wicked oppress the poor and vulnerable. The psalm ends with a plea for God to intervene and put an end to the wickedness.

image of Psalm 10

18
verses
2
min

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The Cry of the Oppressed

1 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.
4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.
6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
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 poor.
9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.
13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said 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 poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
16 The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.
17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

Commentary

Psalm 10 is a sobering reminder of the reality of evil and injustice in the world. The psalmist observes the wicked exploiting and harming the innocent, and is deeply troubled by God's apparent silence. It is a question that continues to be asked in the midst of suffering and hardship: where is God in all of this?Yet even as the psalmist wrestles with this question, they do not lose their faith in God's justice and compassion. They plead with God to act on behalf of the oppressed, confident that He hears their cries and will not abandon them. Psalm 10 serves as a source of comfort and hope for those who face difficult circumstances, reminding them that they are not alone and that God is always present, even in the midst of suffering.

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FAQ

Assuming a reader with an average reading speed of 300 WPM reads the Psalm, chapter 10 it would take approximately 2 minutes to finish.

There are 18 verses in Psalm, chapter 10.