Psalms
Psalm 10 (9)
21Continuation of the preceding psalm.
1 Why, O Lord, do you stand afar? Why hide from us in times of distress? 2 The wicked are in power; the weak suffer harassment; the poor become victims of evil schemes.
3 Exploiters boast in their po wer and greed; the covetous blasphemes and defies God.
4 In their pride the wicked say, “There is no God.” They see no further.
5 The wicked prosper in their ways, your laws are far from their minds; haughtily they sneer at their rivals, 6 all of them saying in their heart, “Nothing will trouble me. I am secure, powerful and happy.”
7 Their mouths are filled with curs ing, deceit and threats; spite and mischief are under their tongues.
8 They lie in ambush near the villages, murdering the innocent and the un fortunate, spying upon their next victim.
9 The evil one lurks in secret, like a lion in its covert, waiting to seize his prey and drag him off in a net.
10 Lying prone or crouching, he waits and the unfortunate falls into his power.
11 He thinks to himself: “God has forgotten; he has hidden his face and will never see this.”
12 Rise, Lord, O God, raise your hand, do not forget the lowly.
13 Why do the wicked revile God and say, “He can not make me account”?
14 But you see those in misery, O God, and you take it in hand. The un fortunate commits himself to you; the orphan turns to you for help.
15 Break the power of the wicked – seek out their wickedness till there is none to be found.
16 The Lord is king forever and the pagans have vanished from his land.
17 For you hear, O Lord, the long ings of the lowly, and you strength en their hearts; 18 you give heed to the orphans and the oppressed. Let no human raise from earth and strike terror.