Psalm 10

 ¹ Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
       Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
 ² In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
       who are caught in the schemes he devises.
 ³ He boasts of the cravings of his heart;
       he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
 ⁴ In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
       in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
 ⁵ His ways are always prosperous;
       he is haughty and your laws are far from him;
       he sneers at all his enemies.
 ⁶ He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me;
       I'll always be happy and never have trouble."
 ⁷ His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats;
       trouble and evil are under his tongue.
 ⁸ He lies in wait near the villages;
       from ambush he murders the innocent,
       watching in secret for his victims.
 ⁹ He lies in wait like a lion in cover;
       he lies in wait to catch the helpless;
       he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
 ¹⁰ His victims are crushed, they collapse;
       they fall under his strength.
 ¹¹ He says to himself, "God has forgotten;
       he covers his face and never sees."
 ¹² Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
       Do not forget the helpless.
 ¹³ Why does the wicked man revile God?
       Why does he say to himself,
       "He won't call me to account"?
 ¹⁴ But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
       you consider it to take it in hand.
       The victim commits himself to you;
       you are the helper of the fatherless.
 ¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked and evil man;
       call him to account for his wickedness
       that would not be found out.
 ¹⁶ The LORD is King for ever and ever;
       the nations will perish from his land.
 ¹⁷ You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted;
       you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
 ¹⁸ defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
       in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.