Psalms 10

David, or the church of God, or David in the name and behalf of Gods church, doth fervently pray against the persecution and oppression of the wicked, very lively describing their insclency, wickedness and cruel bloody practises. He solliciteth Gods righteous vengeance upon them, which by faith he assureth himself of, that God would perform it.

1. O LORD, why standest thou afar off? [As if he said; ah do not so, draw neer with thy help, and let thy gracious countenance shine upon us. Spoken of God after the manner of men; as frequently in this book. Compare Psa.3.on v.8. and 7.on v.7,8.] (why) hidest thou thy self in times of distress? [as above Psa.9.v.10.]

2. The wicked [In the singular understanding wicked men, as appeareth by the sequel] doth hostly persecute [as Psa.7.14.] the afflicted in ( or with) insolency: let them be apprehended in the enterprises which have devised.

3. For the wicked boasteth over the wish of his soul; as fuliy persuade, that he shall accomplish his designs, and obtain his hearts desire. Oth. He praiseth according to the desire of his soul, i.e. whom so ever he will; for example, the covetous, as followeth. Or he boasteth over the wish of his soul, i.e. over his evil lusts, when he hath satisfied or accomplished the same] he blesseth the covetous [i.e. holdeth and accounteth the unrighteous, that oppresseth the poor, by his covetousness to be a happy man. See Deut.29.on v.19.] he slandereth the LORD [or, provoketh the LORD, etc. Others read the letter half of this verse thus: the covetous (by and by called wicked) curseth and revileth the LORD: as the word blessing is sometimes used instead of cursing. See 1 Kings 21.on v.10. Or the covetous blesseth (himself) &c.]

4. The wicked, as he putteth his nose on high, [Heb. According to the height, putting up, or lifting up of his face, or his countenance, his nose, his anger, i.e. according to his insolency, and scornful contempt of good instruction, which he sheweth forth in all his carriage and deportment. For even as the height of the heart, Psa.131.v.1. and insolency or high-mindedness; so the height of the eyes, Psa.18.28. and here; of the face, or the nose, betokeneth the outward] doth not search; [whether he do well or ill, caring for nothing at all, Oth. He doth not seek (God) out of Psa.14.2.] all his thoughts are, that there is no God: [oth. (in) all his subtile devises God is not.]

5. His ways, [i.e. his purposes, designers and practice] cause pain at all time. [viz. to him, whom he oppresseth in his insolency. Oth. His ways are prosperous at all time. The Hebrew word hath the signification of the pains or travel of child-birth, whereupon doth follow rejoicing, when the child is born, John 16:21. and thus some do seem to have taken it here consectarily in the sense of success, and prospering, or furthering, advancing of his work, that it may come to light and issue, as the fruit of the womb: thus the wicked bestirred himself, toilet and laboureth till he work out his purpose, and it succedeth according to his mind; therefore he careth not for God] thy judgements [i.e. thy government, and the punishments, which thou hast prepared for the wicked] are an height far from him: Compare the manner of speaking with Jud.9.on v.17. and Cant.6.on v.5. Heb. From, or from over against him, i.e. he casteth the same from him , out of his sight, and never mindeth them once: or they are higher, or too high for him to set them before him; they are hidden be fore him, above the reach of his understanding and apprehension: because he is in prosperity, he never thinketh on any punishments to come. See the next verse] all his adversaries, he bloweth upon them [or he bloweth thereupon, or against the same, i.e. he meaneth to scatter and dispel like chaff with his very breath. So small account he maketh of them, because all things go with him according to his mind. Compare Psa.12.6.

6. He saith in his heart, [i.e. he thinketh as v.11.13. and Psa.14.v.1.&c.] I shall not waver, [i.e. I shall not be displaced or removed out of my estate or prosperity: it shall go always well with me, I shall not stumble nor fall, nor be overthrown by any] for I shall be in no evil from generation. [Heb. In generation and generation, i.e. never, meaning that no kind of evil, mischance or adversity should ever betide him.]

7. His mouth is full of cursing and deceitfulnesses, and wiles: under his tongue (there) is toil and iniquity. [Compare Psa.66.17. Rom.3.11.]

8. He sitteth in the ambushes of court-gardens, [Or out-houses, villages, country-towns] in hidden places doth he put to death the innocent: his eyes do hide themselves against the poor, [i.e. he watcheth and way layeth him in secret, where he may not be seen.]

9. He layeth ambushes in a hidden place, like a Lion in his den: he layeth ambushes to spoil the afflicted; he spoileth the afflicted, when he draweth him into his net.

10. He stoopeth down, he bowed himself, [For to la close and undiscovered, and that he may he more suddenly and unwares surprise and fall upon the afflicted. Compare Psa.17.11.] and the poor troop falleth into his strong (paws) [or that the poor troop may fall, etc. Oth. And he falleth upon the poor company with his strong (limbs): for poor troop, or company, the Hebrew hath the poor in the plural, construed with the word falleth in the singular.]

11. He saith in his heart, God hath forgotten it; [Heb. Hath forgotten, viz. those people, or the cause and case of them whom I intend to plague and spoil: those are the afflicted ones, for whom the Prophet contrarywise doth pray in the sequel, that God would not forget them] he hath hid his face, he seeth (it) not for ever.

12. Arise, LORD God, [see Psa.3.on v.8] lift up thine hand; [this phrase is taken diversly in Scripture; signifying here, the public manifestation of the power of God in helping the godly, and confounding the wicked, who were described with their wickedness before] forget not the afflicted. [Otherw. The meek.]

13. Why doth the wicked slander (or provoke) God? [He will say: why doest thou permit him thus to slander or provoke thee] saith in his heart; thou wilt not seek it, [as above 9.13. and below v.15. Or he saith in his heart thou wilt not, etc.

14. (Howbeit) thou seest it; for thou regardest the toil and the vexation, [viz. which the afflicted must suffer and undergo by the wicked] that they may give it into thine hand: [i.e. commit the avenging unto thee, which the following words do well agree with. Oth. That thou mayst put it into thine hand, i.e. for to have their cause, as it were before thine eyes, and to consider the same: Or that thou mayst give it with thine hand, [i.e.require it] the poor relyeth on thee [or on thee the poor letteth it, viz. rest, he leaveth it in thine hand; he the prosecuting of his right. Compare the manner of speaking with Gen.39.6. Job 39:14. Isa.10.3. and 2 Tim.1.12.] thou hast been [viz. Always in times past] an helper of the Orphan, [i.e. of my self and all those, that like poor Orphans were forsaken and oppressed by men. Compare Psa.68.6. John 14:18. and below v.18.]

15. Break the arm, [i.e. the power, might, violence, as frequently] of the wicked and evil (one) seek his wickedness [as above Psa.9.13.] (until) thou find it not [the meaning is, punish it and destroy it; so that the wicked be no more able to molest and vex the godly. Compare Ezek.23.48. The sins Gods people are likewise said to be sought and not found, but in a clean contrary sense; they being all pardoned of God by grace, for the Messiah his sake, Jer.50.20. Oth.shalt not thou find them? i.e. yea thou shalt surely find them.]

16. The LORD is king eternity and evermore; the heathen are perished out of his land, [viz. Out of Canaan, which God doth call his land, Lev.25.23. Oth. Out off, or from his Earth indeed being Gods, Psa.24.1.]

17. LORD, thou hast heard the wish of the meek: [Or lowly, humble ones, which were humbled by the hand of God and means of the cross. This is an observable title of Gods children, that are regenerated by the holy Ghost, humbled and brought under the yoak and obedience of his commands. So below Psa.22.27. and 25.9. and 34.3. &c.] thou shalt strengthen their heart, [viz. By thy word and holy spirit] thine ears shall attend.

18. To do right to the Orphan and oppressed: that a man [See Psa.8.on v.5. and Compare Psa.9.20,21.] of the Earth [that sprung from the Earth, or was made therefore, and consequently had no reason to be so arrogant and insolent] go on more to practise violence. [Oth. Read the latter member of this verse: that mortal man go no more to chase out of the land.]