KJV
Psalms 10
1¶ Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? [why] hidest thou [thyself] in times of trouble?
2The wicked in [his] pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, [whom] the LORD abhorreth.
4The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek [after God]: God [is] not in all his thoughts.
5His ways are always grievous; thy judgments [are] far above out of his sight: [as for] all his enemies, he puffeth at them.
6He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for [I shall] never [be] in adversity.
7His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue [is] mischief and vanity.
8He 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.
9He 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.
10He croucheth, [and] humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
11He 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.
13Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require [it].
14Thou 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.
15Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil [man]: seek out his wickedness [till] thou find none.
16The LORD [is] King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.
17LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
18To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.
Study This Passage
Key Words and Topics
These study connections are drawn from the internal BSB concordance and topical index imported into Daily Bread Intake.
Key Words in This Passage
Select a word to open the full concordance search.
Related Topics
Afflictions and Adversities: Prayer In Psalm 10:1
Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
Being Self Centered Psalm 10:4
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.
Blasphemy: General Scriptures Concerning Psalm 10:11, 13
He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.” / Why has the wicked man renounced God? He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.”
Blindness: Spiritual Psalm 10:5, 6
He is secure in his ways at all times; Your lofty judgments are far from him; he sneers at all his foes. / He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”
Character of the Renewed Heart: Prepared to Seek God Psalm 10:17
You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,
Character of the Wicked: Boastful Psalm 10:3
For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
Character of the Wicked: Infidel Psalm 10:4
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.
Character of the Wicked: Murderous Psalm 10:8
He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.
Children: God's Care of Psalm 10:14, 18
But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. / to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more.
Confidence: False Psalm 10:6
He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”
Consolation Under Affliction: To the Poor Psalm 10:14
But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.
Countenance: Pride In Psalm 10:4
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.
Covetousness: Abhorred by God Psalm 10:3
For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
Covetousness: Commended by the Wicked Alone Psalm 10:3
For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
Covetousness: General Scriptures Concerning Psalm 10:3
For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
Deceit: Often Accompanied by Fraud and Injustice Psalm 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
Deceit: The Wicked: Utter Psalm 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
Deceit: Utter Psalm 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
Falsehood: General Scriptures Concerning Psalm 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
Famine: Sent by God Psalm 10:16
The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.
Fatherless: God Will: Be a Helper of Psalm 10:14
But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.
Fatherless: God Will: Execute the Judgment of Psalm 10:18
to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more.
God: Knowledge of Psalm 10:11
He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”
God: Preserver Psalm 10:17, 18
You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear, / to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more.
Select a topic to open the full topical search.
Bible Dictionary
Related Dictionary Terms
Explore people, places, themes, and biblical terms connected to this passage.
Commentary Insights
Study and Reflection
Explore devotional and study commentary connected to this passage.
Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
Pastoral and devotional reflections focused on spiritual formation and application.
Psalms 10:1-11 Verses 1-11
God's withdrawings are very grievous to his people, especially in times of trouble. We stand afar off from God by our unbelief, and then complain that God stands afar off from us. Passionate words against bad men do more hurt than good; if we speak of their badness, let it be to the Lord in prayer; he can make them better. The sinner proudly glories in his power and success. Wicked people will not seek after God, that is, will not call upon him. They live without prayer, and that is living without God. They have many thoughts, many objects and devices, but think not of the Lord in any of them; they have no submission to his will, nor aim for his glory. The cause of this is pride. Men think it below them to be religious. They could not break all the laws of justice and goodness toward man, if they had not first shaken off all sense of religion.
Psalms 10:12-18 Verses 12-18
The psalmist speaks with astonishment, at the wickedness of the wicked, and at the patience and forbearance of God. God prepares the heart for prayer, by kindling holy desires, and strengthening our most holy faith, fixing the thoughts, and raising the affections, and then he graciously accepts the prayer. The preparation of the heart is from the Lord, and we must seek unto him for it. Let the poor, afflicted, persecuted, or tempted believer recollect, that Satan is the prince of this world, and that he is the father of all the ungodly. The children of God cannot expect kindness, truth, or justice from such persons as crucified the Lord of glory. But this once suffering Jesus, now reigns as King over all the earth, and of his dominion there shall be no end. Let us commit ourselves unto him, humbly trusting in his mercy. He will rescue the believer from every temptation, and break the arm of every wicked oppressor, and bruise Satan under our feet shortly. But in heaven alone will all sin and temptation be shut out, though in this life the believer has a foretaste of deliverance.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
Historical, contextual, and verse-level study notes for deeper biblical exploration.
Psalms 10:1 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
These are, of course, figurative terms (compare Ps 7:6; 13:1, &c.). hidest--Supply "thine eyes" or "face."
Psalms 10:1-18 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
troubles, which are aggravated by the successful malice, blasphemy, pride, deceit, and profanity of the wicked. On the just and discriminating providence of God he relies for the destruction of their false security, and the defense of the needy.
Psalms 10:2 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
Literally, "In pride of the wicked they (the poor or humble, Ps 10:17; 12:5) shall be taken in the devices they (the proud) have imagined."
Psalms 10:3 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
heart's--or, "soul's." desire--that is, his success in evil. and blesseth, &c.--he (the wicked) blesseth the covetous, he despiseth the Lord.
Psalms 10:4 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
The face expresses the self-conceit, whose fruit is practical atheism (Ps 14:1).
Psalms 10:5-6 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
Such is his confidence in the permanence of his way or course of life, that he disregards God's providential government (out of sight, because he will not look, Isa 26:11), sneers at his enemies, and boasts perpetual freedom from evil. 7-10. The malignity and deceit (Ps 140:3) of such are followed by acts combining cunning, fraud, and violence (compare Pr 1:11, 18), aptly illustrated by the habits of the lion, and of hunters taking their prey. "Poor," in Ps 10:8, 10, 14, represents a word peculiar to this Psalm, meaning the sad or sorrowful; in Ps 10:9, as usual, it means the pious or meek sufferer.
Psalms 10:8 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
eyes ... privily--He watches with half-closed eyes, appearing not to see.
Psalms 10:10 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
croucheth--as a lion gathers himself into as small compass as possible to make the greater spring. fall by his strong ones--The figure of the lion is dropped, and this phrase means the accomplices of the chief or leading wicked man.
Psalms 10:11 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
As before, such conduct implies disbelief or disregard of God's government.
Psalms 10:12 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
(Compare Ps 9:19; 3:7). the humble--(Compare Ps 10:17, and Margin.) lift up thine hand--exert thy power.
Psalms 10:13-14 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
It is in vain to suppose God will overlook sin, however forbearing; for He carefully examines or beholds all wickedness, and will mark it by His providential (Thine hand) punishment.
Psalms 10:14 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
mischief and spite--provocation and trouble of the sufferer (compare Ps 6:7; 7:14). committeth--or, "leaves (his burden) on Thee."
Psalms 10:15 The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his
arm--power. till thou find none--So far from not requiting (Ps 10:11, 13), God will utterly destroy the wicked and his deeds (Ps 9:5, 6; 34:16; 37:36). 16-18. God reigns. The wicked, if for a time successful, shall be cut off. He hears and confirms the hearts of His suffering people (Ps 112:7), executes justice for the feeble, and represses the pride and violence of conceited, though frail, men (compare Ps 9:16). PSALM 11