9 He lieth in wait in a secret place, as a lion in a covert. He lieth in wait to catch the poor, He catcheth the poor, drawing him into his net.
For, lo, they laid wait for my soul, Assembled against me are strong ones, Not my transgression nor my sin, O Jehovah.
His likeness as a lion desirous to tear, As a young lion dwelling in secret places.
And she bringeth up one of her whelps, A young lion it hath been, And it learneth to tear prey, man it hath devoured. And hear of it do nations, In their pit it hath been caught, And they bring it in with chains unto the land of Egypt. And she seeth, that stayed -- perished hath her hope, And she taketh one of her whelps, A young lion she hath made it. And it goeth up and down in the midst of lions, A young lion it hath been, And it learneth to tear prey, man it hath devoured.
thou, therefore, mayest thou not yield to them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who did anathematize themselves -- not to eat nor to drink till they kill him, and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from thee.'
A voice of the howling of the shepherds! For destroyed was their robe of honour, A voice of the roaring of young lions! For destroyed was the excellency of Jordan.
Thou hast pierced with his staves the head of his leaders, They are tempestuous to scatter me, Their exultation `is' as to consume the poor in secret.
Where `is' the habitation of lionesses? And a feeding-place it `is' for young lions Where walked hath a lion, an old lion, A lion's whelp, and there is none troubling. The lion is tearing parts `for' his whelps, And is strangling for his lionesses, And he doth fill `with' prey his holes, And his habitations `with' rapine.
Therefore, because of your trampling on the poor, And the tribute of corn ye take from him, Houses of hewn work ye have built, And ye do not dwell in them, Desirable vineyards ye have planted, And ye do not drink their wine. For I have known -- many `are' your transgressions, And mighty your sins, Adversaries of the righteous, taking ransoms, And the needy in the gate ye turned aside.
Thus said Jehovah: For three transgressions of Israel, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of their selling for silver the righteous, And the needy for a pair of sandals. Who are panting for the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, And the way of the humble they turn aside, And a man and his father go unto the damsel, So as to pollute My holy name.
The people of the land have used oppression, And have taken plunder violently away, And humble and needy have oppressed, And the sojourner oppressed -- without judgment.
A bear lying in wait He `is' to me, A lion in secret hiding-places.
For the wicked have been found among My people. It looketh about the covering of snares, They have set up a trap -- men they capture.
What -- to you? ye bruise My people, And the faces of the poor ye grind.' An affirmation of the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, And Jehovah saith:
A growling lion, and a ranging bear, `Is' the wicked ruler over a poor people.
An oppressor of the poor reproacheth his Maker, And whoso is honouring Him Is favouring the needy.
The proud hid a snare for me -- and cords, They spread a net by the side of the path, Snares they have set for me. Selah.
A sword have the wicked opened, And they have trodden their bow, To cause to fall the poor and needy, To slaughter the upright of the way.
All my bones say, `Jehovah, who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor and needy from his plunderer.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 10
Commentary on Psalms 10 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 10
The Septuagint translation joins this psalm with the ninth, and makes them but one; but the Hebrew makes it a distinct psalm, and the scope and style are certainly different. In this psalm,
Psa 10:1-11
David, in these verses, discovers,
In singing this psalm and praying it over, we should have our hearts much affected with a holy indignation at the wickedness of the oppressors, a tender compassion of the miseries of the oppressed, and a pious zeal for the glory and honour of God, with a firm belief that he will, in due time, give redress to the injured and reckon with the injurious.
Psa 10:12-18
David here, upon the foregoing representation of the inhumanity and impiety of the oppressors, grounds an address to God, wherein observe,
In singing these verses we must commit religion's just but injured cause to God, as those that are heartily concerned for its honour and interests, believing that he will, in due time, plead it with jealousy.