Psalms 10

• 1. O LORD, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I need you the most?
• 2. Proud and wicked people viciously oppress the poor. Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.
• 3. For they brag about their evil desires; they praise the greedy and curse the LORD.
• 4. These wicked people are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.
• 5. Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. They pour scorn on all their enemies.
• 6. They say to themselves, "Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!"
• 7. Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats. Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
• 8. They lurk in dark alleys, murdering the innocent who pass by. They are always searching for some helpless victim.
• 9. Like lions they crouch silently, waiting to pounce on the helpless. Like hunters they capture their victims and drag them away in nets.
• 10. The helpless are overwhelmed and collapse; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
• 11. The wicked say to themselves, "God isn't watching! He will never notice!"
• 12. Arise, O LORD! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not forget the helpless!
• 13. Why do the wicked get away with cursing God? How can they think, "God will never call us to account"?
• 14. But you do see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in you. You are the defender of orphans.
• 15. Break the arms of these wicked, evil people! Go after them until the last one is destroyed!
• 16. The LORD is king forever and ever! Let those who worship other gods be swept from the land.
• 17. LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them.
• 18. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so people can no longer terrify them.

Psalms 11

• 1. I trust in the LORD for protection. So why do you say to me, "Fly to the mountains for safety!
• 2. The wicked are stringing their bows and setting their arrows in the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those who do right.
• 3. The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?"
• 4. But the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven. He watches everything closely, examining everyone on earth.
• 5. The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates everyone who loves violence.
• 6. He rains down blazing coals on the wicked, punishing them with burning sulfur and scorching winds.
• 7. For the LORD is righteous, and he loves justice. Those who do what is right will see his face.

Psalms 12

• 1. Help, O LORD, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth!
• 2. Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and insincere hearts.
• 3. May the LORD bring their flattery to an end and silence their proud tongues.
• 4. They say, "We will lie to our hearts' content. Our lips are our own--who can stop us?"
• 5. The LORD replies, "I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do."
• 6. The LORD's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.
• 7. Therefore, LORD, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation,
• 8. even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.

New Living Translation: 170 of 324 days.