Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 10 (MT) is the second half of the LXX Psalm 9 — the acrostic sequence that began at MT 9:1 continues here. The psalm catalogs the wicked's arrogance, oppression, and inner atheism ('there is no God,' v. 4), and closes with the LORD's eternal-kingship and care for the afflicted. Paul cites 10:7 at Romans 3:14 as part of his universal-depravity catena.
Notable Variants
The 'there is no God' fool-saying at 10:4 echoed at Psalm 14:1 and 53:1; 10:7 'mouth full of cursing and deceit' cited at Rom 3:14 (following Ps 9-10's unity, this too joins the Rom 3 catena); 'the helper of the orphan' at 10:14 as anti-oppression theology.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 10 / LXX Ps 9b. From this chapter forward through MT Ps 147, LXX numbers run one behind MT numbers. The MT/LXX divergence begins with the unity of MT Psalms 9 and 10 as a single LXX acrostic. TCR follows MT numbering throughout.
Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of distress?
'Why do you stand far off?' tracks MT. The lament-opening transitions from the confidence of MT Ps 9 to the distress of MT Ps 10 — the acrostic-unity requires the same poetic voice.
In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
'In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor' tracks MT. The self-entrapment-wish ('let them be caught in the schemes they have devised') continues the Psalm-7 self-entrapment motif.
For the wicked boasts of his soul's desire; the greedy person blesses himself and despises the LORD.
'The greedy person blesses himself and despises the LORD' tracks MT. The self-blessing — a kind of practical atheism — is the arrogance-of-the-wicked character study.
The wicked, in the height of his arrogance, does not seek God. "There is no God" — that is all his scheming.
Masoretic (WLC)
אֵין אֱלֹהִים כָּל־מְזִמּוֹתָיו
'There is no God' — that is all his scheming
Septuagint (LXX)
οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ θεός ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ
'God is not before his eyes'
The 'no-God' confession of the wicked. MT reads directly 'there is no God' (ein Elohim) — the fool's creed; LXX reads 'God is not before his eyes' — interpretive paraphrase.
Psalm 14:1 (= LXX 13:1) and 53:1 (= LXX 52:2) share the 'the fool says in his heart, there is no God' formulation. Paul's Romans 3:11 ('no one seeks God') and Romans 3:18 ('there is no fear of God before their eyes,' ouk estin phobos theou apenanti tōn ophthalmōn autōn) both draw on this cluster.
The moral-psychological insight: practical atheism precedes theoretical atheism. Those who live as if there is no God eventually say so.
His ways prosper at all times; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight. All his enemies — he sneers at them.
'Your judgments are far above, out of his sight' tracks MT.
He says in his heart, "I will not be shaken; generation after generation, no harm will touch me."
'I will not be shaken' tracks MT. The wicked's self-confidence — 'no harm will touch me' — is biblical-wisdom-literature's target of moral satire (cf. Luke 12:19 the rich fool: 'soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years').
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue lurk trouble and evil.
Masoretic (WLC)
אָלָה פִּיהוּ מָלֵא וּמִרְמוֹת וָתֹךְ
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression
Septuagint (LXX)
οὗ ἀρᾶς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ γέμει καὶ πικρίας καὶ δόλου
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness and deceit
ROMANS 3:14 CITATION. Paul cites this verse verbatim in its LXX form: 'whose mouth is full of curses and bitterness' (hōn to stoma aras kai pikrias gemei). The continuation of the Romans-3 catena from Ps 5:9–10 (cited at Rom 3:13) flows naturally into Psalm 10:7 (cited at Rom 3:14). Paul treats LXX Psalms 9-10 (as a single unit) as a running condemnation of fallen humanity.
The 'bitterness' (pikria) vocabulary becomes Ephesians 4:31's 'let all bitterness … be put away from you.' Hebrews 12:15 ('no root of bitterness') extends the image.
He sits in ambush near the villages; in hidden places he murders the innocent. His eyes watch for the helpless.
'Sits in ambush near the villages' tracks MT. The lion-in-ambush imagery follows.
He lurks in hiding like a lion in its thicket; he lurks to seize the poor. He seizes the poor, dragging them into his net.
'Lurks in hiding like a lion in its thicket' tracks MT. The predator-metaphor for social oppression is consistent with 1 Peter 5:8's 'prowling lion' image of the devil.
He crushes and crouches, and the helpless fall into his clutches.
'Crushes and crouches' tracks MT.
He says in his heart, "God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see."
'God has forgotten' — the second false-theological-saying of the wicked — tracks MT. 'God has hidden his face; he will never see.' The divine-hiddenness as excuse for impunity is the paradigmatic atheistic practice-ethics.
Rise up, O LORD! O God, lift up Your hand! Do not forget the afflicted!
'Rise up, O LORD!' divine-summons tracks MT.
Why does the wicked despise God? He says in his heart, "You will not call me to account."
'Why does the wicked despise God?' tracks MT.
But You do see! You observe trouble and grief to take the matter into Your own hand. The helpless entrust themselves to You; You are the helper of the orphan.
'You do see!' tracks MT. The theological rebuttal of v. 11's 'God will never see' — God does see, which is the psalmist's core-conviction.
Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer; search out his wickedness until none remains.
'Break the arm of the wicked' — imprecatory prayer — tracks MT. The 'arm' as symbol of political-military-legal power.
The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations have perished from His land.
'The LORD is king forever' tracks MT. Revelation 11:15 ('the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ') is the eschatological-Christological fulfillment.
O LORD, You have heard the desire of the afflicted; You steady their hearts; You incline Your ear,
'You have heard the desire of the afflicted' tracks MT. The 'desire-of-the-afflicted-heard' theology supplies Magnificat-theology (Luke 1:52–53 'filled the hungry with good things').
to defend the orphan and the crushed, so that mere mortals from the earth may terrify no more.
'To defend the orphan and the crushed' tracks MT. The orphan-widow-protection triad is one of the Hebrew Bible's central ethical-theological-practical concerns (Deut 10:18, 27:19, Ps 68:5, Isa 1:17, Jer 7:6, Zech 7:10, James 1:27 'pure religion is … to visit orphans and widows').