101 Why, Jehovah, standest thou afar off? [Why] hidest thou thyself in times of distress? 2 The wicked, in his pride, doth hotly pursue the afflicted. They shall be taken in the devices that they have imagined. 3 For the wicked boasteth of his soul's desire, and he blesseth the covetous; he contemneth Jehovah. 4 The wicked [saith], in the haughtiness of his countenance, He doth not search out: all his thoughts are, There is no God! 5 His ways always succeed; thy judgments are far above out of his sight; [as for] all his adversaries, he puffeth at them. 6 He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved; from generation to generation I shall be in no adversity. 7 His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and iniquity. 8 He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; in the secret places doth he slay the innocent: his eyes watch for the wretched. 9 He lieth in wait secretly, like a lion in his thicket; he lieth in wait to catch the afflicted: he doth catch the afflicted, drawing him into his net. 10 He croucheth, he boweth down, that the wretched may fall by his strong ones. 11 He saith in his heart, God hath forgotten, he hideth 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.