Psalm 10
David asks the LORD God to punish wicked people.
DAVID ASKS THE LORD GOD TO PUNISH WICKED PEOPLE
VERSE 1. Why do you stand far off, LORD? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
stand far off … hide yourself. These assertions are not true.
The LORD God does not stand far off. He does not hide when we are in trouble. He is not uninterested.
However, the Bible records this prayer quite accurately, without approving it. Or disapproving it.
Psalm 55:1. Listen to my prayer, God. Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.
VERSE 2. In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught in the schemes that they devise.
In arrogance. Wicked people are arrogant.
wicked hunt down the weak. Wicked people are vicious in their use of power.
the schemes that they devise. Wicked people are always scheming.
VERSE 3. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings. He blesses the greedy, and condemns the LORD.
VERSE 4. The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God.
no room in his thoughts for God. The LORD God is not the center of a wicked person’s life.
Rather, the wicked person is the center of their own lives. They see themselves as having godlike powers.
VERSE 5. His 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.
VERSE 6. He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.”
For generations I shall have no trouble. Wicked people are convinced that they can continue undisturbed in their prosperity. They cannot imagine misfortune coming their way.
In the Philokalia, St. Isaiah the Solitary refers to this verse.
VERSE 7. His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
VERSE 8. He lies in wait near the villages. From ambushes, he murders the innocent. His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.
VERSE 9. He 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.
lurks in secret. Wicked people lurk in secret to attack helpless people.
VERSE 10. The helpless are crushed. They collapse. They fall under his strength.
VERSE 11. He says in his heart, “God has forgotten. He hides his face. He will never see it.”
He hides his face. Many people imagine that God is distant and uncaring.
In the Philokalia, St. Isaiah the Solitary refers to this verse.
VERSE 12. Arise, LORD! God, lift up your hand! Don’t forget the helpless.
lift up your hand! David is asking the LORD God for vengeance.
VERSE 13. Why does the wicked person condemn God, and say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account?”
condemn God. Wicked people speak abusively of God.
VERSE 14. But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.
VERSE 15. Break the arm of the wicked. As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none.
Break the arm of the wicked. In those days, this expression meant “destroy their power.” David wants the LORD God to punish the wicked.
until you find none. David wants God to punish the wicked until nothing remains.
VERSE 16. The LORD is King forever and ever! The nations will perish out of his land.
VERSE 17. LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear,
the desire of the humble. David was confident the LORD God would defend the afflicted and the needy against the tyranny of the wicked.
VERSE 18. to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.
PSALMS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150
Deuterocanonical chapter: 151
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, David’s Fasting
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.