Psalms 10:1

Psalm 10¹

10:1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?

Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble?²

Psalms 22:11

22:11 Do not remain far away from me,

for trouble is near and I have no one to help me.³

Psalms 22:19

22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away!

You are my source of strength!⁴ Hurry and help me!⁵

Psalms 38:11

38:11 Because of my condition,⁶ even my friends and acquaintances keep their distance;⁷

my neighbors stand far away.⁸

Psalms 138:6

138:6 Though the Lord is exalted, he takes note of the lowly,

and recognizes the proud from far away.

Psalms 139:2

139:2 You know when I sit down and when I get up;

even from far away you understand my motives.

Psalms 139:6

139:6 Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension;

it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it.⁹

¹sn Psalm 10. Many Hebrew mss and the ancient Greek version (LXX) combine Psalms 9 and 10 into a single psalm. Taken in isolation, Psalm 10 is a petition for help in which the psalmist urges the Lord to deliver him from his dangerous enemies, whom he describes in vivid and terrifying detail. The psalmist concludes with confidence; he is certain that God’s justice will prevail.

²tn Heb “you hide for times in trouble.” The interrogative “why” is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The Hiphil verbal form “hide” has no expressed object. Some supply “your eyes” by ellipsis (see BDB 761 s.v. I עָלַם Hiph and HALOT 835 s.v. I עלם hif) or emend the form to a Niphal (“you hide yourself,” see BHS, note c; cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).

³tn Heb “and there is no helper.”

⁴tn Heb “O my strength.”

⁵tn Heb “hurry to my help.”

⁶tn Or “wound,” or “illness.”

⁷tn Heb “stand [aloof].”

⁸tn Heb “and the ones near me off at a distance stand.”

⁹tn Heb “too amazing [is this] knowledge for me, it is elevated, I cannot attain to it.”