The Tenth Sunday of Israel (Ps) November 10th

Psalm 10:1-18

Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?

Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

² In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;

let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.

³ For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,

and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.

⁴ In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him;

all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”

⁵ His ways prosper at all times;

your judgments are on high, out of his sight;

as for all his foes, he puffs at them.

⁶ He says 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 helpless;

⁹ he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;

he lurks that he may seize the poor;

he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.

¹⁰ The helpless are crushed, sink down,

and fall by his might.

¹¹ He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,

he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

¹² Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;

forget not the afflicted.

¹³ Why does the wicked renounce God

and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?

¹⁴ But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,

that you may take it into your hands;

to you the helpless commits himself;

you have been the helper of the fatherless.

¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;

call his wickedness to account till you find none.

¹⁶ The Lord is king forever and ever;

the nations perish from his land.

¹⁷ O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;

you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear

¹⁸ to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,

so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

The Ninth [Commandment]

You are not to covet your neighbor’s house.

What is this? Answer:

We are to fear and love God, so that we do not try to trick our neighbors out of their inheritance or property or try to get it for ourselves by claiming to have a legal right to it and the like, but instead be of help and service to them in keeping what is theirs.

The Tenth [Commandment]

You are not to covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, cattle, or whatever is his.

What is this? Answer:

We are to fear and love God, so that we do not entice, force, or steal away from our neighbors their spouses, household workers, or livestock, but instead urge them to stay and fulfill their responsibilities to our neighbors.

What then does God say about all these commandments? Answer:

God says the following: “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. Against those who hate me I visit the sin of the fathers on the children up to the third and fourth generation. But I do good to those who love me and keep my commandments to the thousandth generation.”

What is this? Answer:

God threatens to punish all who break these commandments. Therefore we are to fear his wrath and not disobey these commandments. However, God promises grace and every good thing to all those who keep these commandments. Therefore we also are to love and trust him and gladly act according to his commands.

O God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your final judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with You in perfect joy hereafter; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (A69)