Focused Passage

Psalms 10:5-11

Why, LORD? The Arrogance of the Wicked and the King Who Hears the Afflicted

Hiddenness lament -> wickedness exposed -> false security diagnosed -> predatory violence described -> divine intervention requested -> God’s seeing confessed -> eternal kingship declared -> afflicted heard and defended

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

5 He is secure in his ways at all times; Your lofty judgments are far from him; he sneers at all his foes.

6 He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”

7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.

8 He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.

9 He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net.

10 They are crushed and beaten down; the helpless fall prey to his strength.

11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 5

Original words

He is secure יָ֘חִ֤ילוּ H2342 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural in his ways דַרְכּוֹ H1870 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular at all times בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct . . . עֵ֗ת H6256 Noun - common singular Your lofty מָר֣וֹם H4791 Noun - masculine singular judgments מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ H4941 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular are far from him מִנֶּגְדּ֑וֹ H5048 Preposition-m | third person masculine singular he sneers יָפִ֥יחַ H6315 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular at בָּהֶֽם׃ Preposition | third person masculine plural all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct his foes צ֝וֹרְרָ֗יו H6887 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

He says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to himself בְּ֭לִבּוֹ H3820 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular I will not בַּל־ H1077 Adverb be moved אֶמּ֑וֹט H4131 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common singular from age לְדֹ֥ר H1755 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular to age וָ֝דֹ֗ר H1755 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative I am free לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle of distress בְרָֽע׃ H7451 Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

His mouth פִּ֣יהוּ H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular is full of מָ֭לֵא H4390 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular cursing אָלָ֤ה H423 Noun - feminine singular deceit וּמִרְמ֣וֹת H4820 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural and violence וָתֹ֑ךְ H8496 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular trouble עָמָ֥ל H5999 Noun - masculine singular and malice וָאָֽוֶן׃ H205 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular are under תַּ֥חַת H8478 Preposition his tongue לְ֝שׁוֹנ֗וֹ H3956 Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • LXX bitterness; cited in Romans 3:14
Verse 8

Original words

He lies יֵשֵׁ֤ב׀ H3427 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in wait בְּמַאְרַ֬ב H3993 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct near the villages חֲצֵרִ֗ים H2691 Noun - common plural in ambush בַּֽ֭מִּסְתָּרִים H4565 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural he slays יַהֲרֹ֣ג H2026 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the innocent נָקִ֑י H5355 Adjective - masculine singular his eyes עֵ֝ינָ֗יו H5869 Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular watch in stealth יִצְפֹּֽנוּ׃ H6845 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural for the helpless לְֽחֵלְכָ֥ה H2489 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

He lies in wait יֶאֱרֹ֬ב H693 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . בַּמִּסְתָּ֨ר׀ H4565 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular like a lion כְּאַרְיֵ֬ה H738 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular in a thicket בְסֻכֹּ֗ה H5520 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular he lurks יֶ֭אֱרֹב H693 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to seize לַחֲט֣וֹף H2414 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the oppressed עָנִ֑י H6041 Adjective - masculine singular he catches יַחְטֹ֥ף H2414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the lowly עָ֝נִ֗י H6041 Adjective - masculine singular in his net בְּמָשְׁכ֥וֹ H4900 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular . . . בְרִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃ H7568 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

They are crushed וְדָכָה H1794 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and beaten down יָשֹׁ֑חַ H7817 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the helpless חֶלְכָּאִים׃ H2489 Noun - masculine singular construct fall prey וְנָפַ֥ל H5307 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular to his strength בַּ֝עֲצוּמָ֗יו H6099 Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or He crouches and lies low
Verse 11

Original words

He says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to himself בְּ֭לִבּוֹ H3820 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular God אֵ֑ל H410 Noun - masculine singular has forgotten שָׁ֣כַֽח H7911 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular He hides הִסְתִּ֥יר H5641 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular His face פָּ֝נָ֗יו H6440 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular and never בַּל־ H1077 Adverb . . . לָנֶֽצַח׃ H5331 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular sees רָאָ֥ה H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.