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Psalm 10:5
His ways are prosperous at all times. He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.
3For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings. He blesses the greedy and condemns the LORD.
4The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God.
5His ways are prosperous at all times. He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.
6He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.”
7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
Notice
Prosperity becomes troubling here: the man who disregards God's laws keeps succeeding, while his sneer makes those who oppose him seem beneath his concern.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What troubles you most about prosperity joined to such disregard for God's laws?
Write on thisWhere have you seen a sneer make resistance to wrongdoing feel futile?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Psalm 12:5“Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in safety from those who …Both passages describe contempt toward others; Psalm 12 adds God's promise of safety for those who suffer oppression.
1 Corinthians 13:4Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,The arrogance described in the psalm contrasts with love in Corinthians, which is kind and has no pride.
Isaiah 26:11LORD, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.Both describe a failure to see what belongs to God: his laws in the psalm and his lifted hand in Isaiah.
Psalm 28:5Because they don’t respect the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he will break them down and not build them up.Both describe disregard for God, concerning his laws in Psalm 10 and the works of his hands in Psalm 28.
Proverbs 24:7Wisdom is too high for a fool. He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.God's laws are far from the arrogant man's sight, while wisdom is too high for the fool.
Hosea 14:9Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them, …Both speak of ways: the wicked man's prosperous ways disregard God's laws, while Hosea declares the LORD's ways right.
Psalm 92:5–6How great are your works, LORD! Your thoughts are very deep.The connection is broad: Psalm 10 describes disregard for God's laws, while Psalm 92 praises his works and thoughts.
Psalm 19:9The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever. The LORD’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether.God's laws stand outside the wicked man's concern in Psalm 10; Psalm 19 declares the LORD's ordinances true and righteous.
2 Chronicles 18:26and say, ‘The king says, “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.”’”The shared thread is harsh treatment of others: sneering at adversaries in the psalm and imprisonment with affliction in Chronicles.
Romans 3:16Both describe sinful ways, with the psalm naming prosperity and arrogance and Romans naming destruction and misery.
Proverbs 24:1Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;The psalm describes a wicked man's prosperity, while Proverbs warns against envying evil men or desiring their company.
2 Samuel 5:6The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “The blind and the lame will keep you …Both portray contempt for opponents: the wicked man sneers at adversaries, and the Jebusites mock David's ability to enter Jerusalem.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. envy and comparison.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
The wicked man's prosperity receives no praise here. His success does not make his arrogance right, and God's laws remain the standard he refuses to regard.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).