101 Why dost thou stand afar off, O Lord? Why dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble? 2 In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes which they have devised. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his heart, and the man greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his countenance the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, "There is no God." 5 His ways prosper at all times; thy judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He thinks in his heart, "I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity." 7 His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the hapless, 9 he lurks in secret like a lion in his covert; he lurks that he may seize the poor, he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The hapless is crushed, sinks down, and falls by his might. 11 He thinks in his heart, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 10:1-11
Commentary on Psalm 10:1-11
(Read Psalm 10:1-11)
God's withdrawings are very grievous to his people, especially in times of trouble. We stand afar off from God by our unbelief, and then complain that God stands afar off from us. Passionate words against bad men do more hurt than good; if we speak of their badness, let it be to the Lord in prayer; he can make them better. The sinner proudly glories in his power and success. Wicked people will not seek after God, that is, will not call upon him. They live without prayer, and that is living without God. They have many thoughts, many objects and devices, but think not of the Lord in any of them; they have no submission to his will, nor aim for his glory. The cause of this is pride. Men think it below them to be religious. They could not break all the laws of justice and goodness toward man, if they had not first shaken off all sense of religion.