Psalms 10 BBE

¹ Why do you keep far away, O Lord? why are you not to be seen in times of trouble?

² The evil-doer in his pride is cruel to the poor; let him be taken by the tricks of his invention.

³ For the evil-doer is lifted up because of the purpose of his heart, and he whose mind is fixed on wealth is turned away from the Lord, saying evil against him.

⁴ The evil-doer in his pride says, God will not make a search. All his thoughts are, There is no God.

⁵ His ways are ever fixed; your decisions are higher than he may see: as for his haters, they are as nothing to him.

⁶ He has said in his heart, I will not be moved: through all generations I will never be in trouble.

⁷ His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and false words: under his tongue are evil purposes and dark thoughts.

⁸ He is waiting in the dark places of the towns: in the secret places he puts to death those who have done no wrong: his eyes are secretly turned against the poor.

⁹ He keeps himself in a secret place like a lion in his hole, waiting to put his hands on the poor man, and pulling him into his net.

¹⁰ The upright are crushed and made low, and the feeble are overcome by his strong ones.

¹¹ He says in his heart, God has no memory of me: his face is turned away; he will never see it.

¹² Up! O Lord; let your hand be lifted: give thought to the poor.

¹³ Why has the evil-doer a low opinion of God, saying in his heart, You will not make search for it?

¹⁴ You have seen it; for your eyes are on sorrow and grief, to take it into your hand: the poor man puts his faith in you; you have been the helper of the child who has no father.

¹⁵ Let the arm of the sinner and the evil-doer be broken; go on searching for his sin till there is no more.

¹⁶ The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations are gone from his land.

¹⁷ Lord, you have given ear to the prayer of the poor: you will make strong their hearts, you will give them a hearing:

¹⁸ To give decision for the child without a father and for the broken-hearted, so that the man of the earth may no longer be feared.