Psalms 10

: ARGUMENT. It is not known by whom, or on what occasion, this’P.salm was composed: but it is a most lively description of the insolency of wicked atheistical men, when they have power, and are in authority; which they abuse to the oppression of the meaner or weaker sort, and make no conscience by what arts they bring their designs about. Against whom the Psalmist humbly beseeches the Divine vengeance, and rests confident they shall be suppressed. - » 1 Ver- 1. ff HY.standest thou afar off, O Lord? whyhidest thou thyself in times of trouble?] It is strange, O Lord, to see thee, who hast done us the peculiar honour to say we have thee nigh unto us on all occasions, (Deut. iv. 7.) now’ withdraw thyself to such a distance from us, that there is no sign of thy coming to our relief. It perplexes our thoughts, and we cannot find the Tcason of it, that now, in these grievous straits, which seem to us the fittest • opportunity, thou dost not appear for our deliverance.

Psalms 10:2

The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. • If our great affliction do not move thy pity towards us, yet the intolerable pride and insolent rage of the wicked, we are prone to expect, should meet with a rebuke from thy’ just indignation. Especially since he oppresses the poor, who have no friend but thee alone; whose glory also it is to humble arrogant men, by making those very devices cast them down, whereby they thought to ruin others, and exalt themselves. O that we might see them fall in this remarkable manner!

Psalms 10:3

For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lordabhorreth. For whilst the wicked prospers thus in all his designs, he is not only encouraged in those evil courses, but glories in them, and brags that he can do what he lists. Nay, it doth not suffice him to do evil himself, but he commends and praises the unjust extortions and rapines of other violent men; whom he accounts happy, though the Lord abhors them.,

Psalms 10:4

The wicked y through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. * But it is to no purpose to tell him how the Lord abhors them; for, scornfully rejecting all such good admonitions, he will not so much as inquire and consider whether there be a God or not: but rather boldly concludes there is no God, or, if there be, that he cares not what we do.

Psalms 10:5

His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far. above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he pnffeth at them. And therefore, though all his business be to molest and torment his neighbours, and he is always bringing forth some mischief or other, yet that thou wilt judgo him for it is the farthest thing from his thoughts: and as for those men that are his adversaries, he contemns, them all, and values them not a straw.

Psalms 10:6

He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. He confidently promises himself that none shall be able to disturb him; and rests * secure he shall always be thus prosperous, which makes him resolve he will never alter his wicked course of life, let God or man do what they can against him.

Psalms 10:7

His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and fraud; under his tongue is mischief a7id vanity. Nor sticks at any thing that may serve his ends: for he makes no conscience to call for one curse after another upon himself, to confirm those oaths or promises which ho never intends to keep; but by this impious means to deceive and cheat those that rely upon his word. He speaks very fair; but it is only to hide the mischievous wickedness which lurks in his heart.

Psalms 10:8

He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages: An the secret places doth he nmrder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor J. And if he cannot this way compass all his designs, he makes no scruple to rob and kill upon the highway: near unto which he lurks, and in covert places, where nobody sees him, shoots at the innocent traveller; especially when he sees he is defenceless, and hath none to help him.

Psalms 10:9

He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch thepoor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. He lies as close as a lion in his den; and is as cruel when he hath caught his prey. A fowler is not more cunning to draw the birds to his net, than he to get poor helpless men into. his power, that he may devour them. *

Psalms 10:10

He croucheth, and humbleth himself that thepoor may fall by his strong ones. For he can counterfeit himself (if occasion serve) to be a harmless traveller; and look so humbly and innocently, that the poor man, on whom he intends to seize, suspecting no danger, will lie the more open to his sudden and violent assault.

Psalms 10:11

He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it. From which God himself, he thinks, will not protect him. They call him (saith he within his heart) the Omnipotent, and the poor commit themselves unto him: but what cares he for them? he regards them not, and will never call me to any account for what I have done against them.

Psalms 10:12

Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. Confute these blasphemies, O Lord; and delay no longer, O thou omnipotent Judge of the world, to appear in just displeasure against them. Stretch forth thy hand to confound these violent oppressors, and to relieve all thy afflicted servants.

Psalms 10:13

Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. Whatis it, but thy long-suffering, and bearing so much with them, that makes the wicked thus insolently despise thee? He concludes, thou wilt never punish him, because thou art so.patient with him.

Psalms 10:14

Thoxi 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. I doubt not, indeed, that thou takest notice of their villany, and that thou wilt requite them in their kind, for all the mischief and vexation of whicli they have been the authors. The poor have reason to commend their cause to thee; and to expect that thou wilt do them right, who art the protector of the weak and friendless, who have nothing to rely upon but thy goodness. •

Psalms 10:15

Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none. But the wicked will never believe this, as long as they arc able to do mischief; and therefore I beseech thee to despoil them of all their power to hurt and oppress thy people. Be avenged on them for their wickedness, after which they fancy thou wilt not inquire, and let there be no footsteps of it remaining. Ver. 1G. The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.] Thou canst easily do it, being the same everlasting King, by whose authority and power the seven impious nations were expelled out of this land.

Psalms 10:17

Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. And I believe thou wilt do it, O Lord, who hast so often since granted the desire of the afflicted. Thou wilt dispose their heart humbly to wait upon thee, and then vouchsafe them a favourable audience;*

Psalms 10:18

To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, tliat tlte man of the earth may no more oppress. When they pray thee to assert the right of the fatherless, and other poor helpless people, and to punish their insolent oppressors: that those tyrants, sprung out of the earth, and who deserve to be tumbled down thither again, may be no longer terrible to them..