Psalms 10

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1David complaineth to God of the outrages of the wicked: [12]he prayeth for reparation: [16]he professeth his confidence.

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.

Metrical version

Psalm 10

C.M. Martyrs

Wherefore is it that thou, O LORD,
dost stand from us afar?
And wherefore hidest thou thyself
when times so troublous are?

The wicked in his loftiness
doth persecute the poor:
In these devices they have framed
let them be taken sure.

The wicked of his heart's desire
doth talk with boasting great;
He blesseth him that's covetous,
whom yet the LORD doth hate.

The wicked, through his pride of face,
on God he doth not call;
And in the counsels of his heart
the Lord is not at all.

His ways they always grievous are;
thy judgments from his sight
Removed are: at all his foes
he puffeth with despite.

Within his heart he thus hath said,
I shall not moved be;
And no adversity at all
shall ever come to me.

His mouth with cursing, fraud, deceit,
is filled abundantly;
And underneath his tongue there is
mischief and vanity.

He closely sits in villages;
he slays the innocent:
Against the poor that pass him by
his cruel eyes are bent.

He, lion-like, lurks in his den;
he waits the poor to take;
And when he draws him in his net,
his prey he doth him make.

Himself he humbleth very low,
he croucheth down withal,
That so a multitude of poor
may by his strong ones fall.

He thus hath said within his heart,
The Lord hath quite forgot;
He hides his countenance, and he
for ever sees it not.

O LORD, do thou arise; O God,
lift up thine hand on high:
Put not the meek afflicted ones
out of thy memory.

Why is it that the wicked man
thus doth the Lord despise?
Because that God will it require
he in his heart denies.

Thou hast it seen; for their mischief
and spite thou wilt repay:
The poor commits himself to thee;
thou art the orphan's stay.

The arm break of the wicked man,
and of the evil one;
Do thou seek out his wickedness,
until thou findest none.

The LORD is king through ages all,
ev'n to eternity;
The heathen people from his land
are perished utterly.

O LORD, of those that humble are
thou the desire didst hear;
Thou wilt prepare their heart, and thou
to hear wilt bend thine ear;

To judge the fatherless, and those
that are oppressed sore;
That man, that is but sprung of earth,
may them oppress no more.