Does the New Testament quote Psalm 10?
Yes. Romans 3:14 uses verse 7, about the mouth full of cursing, deceit and violence, together with other Old Testament texts to show that all are under sin.
Psalms · psalm 10 of 150
Psalm 10: Summary, Key Verses and Study Questions
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What happens in Psalm 10?
Psalm 10 is a lament that begins with a question: why does the Lord stand far off while the wicked hunt the poor? It describes in detail the arrogance and violence of the wicked, begs God to rise and not forget the afflicted, and ends by confessing that the Lord is king forever and hears the desire of the humble.
This psalm has no title and forms a unit with Psalm 9, with which it shares an alphabetic pattern, though here it is less regular. While Psalm 9 gives thanks for God's justice, Psalm 10 voices the tension of someone who still sees the wicked prosper. It is a lament that does not hide the question but ends in trust.
Psalm 10 summary
The psalm begins with two questions: why does the Lord stand far off, and why does he hide himself in times of trouble? In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor, and the psalmist asks that they be caught in their own schemes.
Then the wicked is described. He boasts of his desires, blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. In his pride he does not seek God, and all his thoughts are that there is no God. He prospers in his ways, scorns justice and tells himself he will not be moved. His mouth is full of cursing, deceit and oppression. He lurks like a lion in his hiding place and seizes the poor. He thinks God has forgotten and does not see.
Then the psalmist asks the Lord to rise up, lift his hand and not forget the humble. God sees the trouble and grief, and the helpless commit themselves to him, who has always been the helper of the fatherless. He asks him to break the arm of the wicked. The psalm ends with an affirmation: the Lord is king forever and ever, he hears the desire of the humble, strengthens their heart and does justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
Chapter outline
- vv. 1-2: Why God seems far away while the wicked hunt the poor.
- vv. 3-11: The portrait of the wicked: pride, deceit, violence and the thought that God does not see.
- vv. 12-15: A plea that the Lord rise up and not forget the humble.
- vv. 16-18: The Lord is king forever and does justice for the fatherless and the oppressed.
Key verses in Psalm 10
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Psalm 10:1
The psalmist asks why the Lord stands far off and hides in times of trouble. The Bible allows this honest complaint and turns it into prayer.
Psalm 10:4
In his pride the wicked does not seek God, and all his thoughts are that there is no God. It is a practical unbelief: he lives as if no one will ever ask him to give an account.
Psalm 10:14
God does see trouble and grief, takes it into his hands, and the helpless commit themselves to him. The Lord is the helper of the fatherless. The psalmist answers the appearance of silence by remembering that God sees.
Psalm 10:16
The Lord is king forever and ever, and the nations perish from his land. The psalm ends with the affirmation of God's reign, which sustains the hope of the oppressed.
Main themes
- God's apparent silence
- The arrogance of the wicked
- God as defender of the fatherless and poor
- The eternal reign of the Lord
- Lament and trust
People and places
- The psalmist
- The wicked
- The poor and fatherless
- The Lord
Psalm 10 study questions and answers
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
1. What question opens the psalm?
Answer: Why does the Lord stand far off and hide himself in times of trouble? — Psalm 10:1
2. What does the wicked think about God?
Answer: In his pride he does not seek him, and all his thoughts are that there is no God. — Psalm 10:4
3. What animal is the wicked compared to?
Answer: A lion lurking in his hiding place. — Psalm 10:9
4. What does the wicked say in his heart about God?
Answer: That God has forgotten, has hidden his face and never sees. — Psalm 10:11
5. What does the psalmist ask the Lord in verse 12?
Answer: To rise up, lift his hand and not forget the humble. — Psalm 10:12
6. What does the psalm declare of the Lord at the end?
Answer: That he is king forever and ever and hears the desire of the humble. — Psalm 10:16-17
Application for today
Psalm 10 makes room for the uncomfortable question: why does God seem silent? This is not doubting his character but bringing the complaint into prayer. In a small group it is healthy to admit that sometimes we see injustice triumph and do not understand God's timing.
The way out in the psalm is to remember that God sees and reigns. That does not remove the pain, but it redirects the gaze. It also speaks to those who hold power: the wicked person in the psalm thinks no one will see. The Christian faith reminds us that we all answer to God and that he defends the most fragile.
Psalm 10 ends with trust in the eternal King who hears the humble. Psalm 11 continues with the same firmness, now aimed at those who advise running away: the Lord is in his holy temple.
Frequently asked questions about Psalm 10
Why is there a psalm that complains that God is far away?
The Bible includes laments to show that faith is honest with God. The psalmist does not abandon the Lord but brings his question to him, and the psalm itself ends in trust.
Who is the man of the earth in verse 18?
It is an expression for a mortal human being who makes himself feared by others through violence. The psalmist asks God to do justice so that this kind of oppressor no longer strikes terror.