Psalms 10 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Yahweh, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide yourself when everything falls apart?

The ruthless hunt down the vulnerable in their arrogance — let them be trapped by the very schemes they've crafted.

The ruthless boast about their deepest cravings; the greedy curse and spit in Yahweh's face.

The ruthless, nose in the air, never look for God. In all their scheming, there is no room for him.

Their ways seem to work out — every time. Your justice is so high above, it's out of their sight; they sneer at anyone who stands against them.

They tell themselves, "Nothing can shake me. I'll sail through life untouched by trouble."

Their mouth is full of curses, lies, and threats; under their tongue hides violence and ruin.

They sit in ambush near the villages, in hidden places they murder the innocent. Their eyes are always hunting for the helpless.

They crouch in hiding like a lion in the brush, they crouch to drag away the vulnerable. They drag them off, caught in their net.

The helpless are crushed, brought low; they collapse under the weight of the ruthless.

They tell themselves, "God has forgotten. He's looked away. He'll never see this."

Rise up, Yahweh! God, lift your hand! Do not forget the ones who have no one.

Why should the ruthless get to spit in God's face? Why should they tell themselves, "He'll never hold me accountable"?

But you do see — you've always seen. You take note of grief and pain to take it into your own hands. The helpless leave everything to you; you have always been the defender of the orphan.

Break the arm of the ruthless and corrupt; hunt down their evil until none of it remains.

Yahweh is king forever — without end. The nations have vanished from his land.

Yahweh, you have heard the longing of the humble. You steady their hearts; your ear is turned toward them —

to bring justice to the orphan and the oppressed, so that mere mortals on earth can never terrorize again.