Psalms 10:2 Meaning and Explanation
“The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The wicked, driven by pride, harm the defenseless, and the psalmist calls for them to be trapped by their own schemes.
The Context of Psalms 10:2
The psalmist describes the wicked person's cruelty and calls for divine justice.
What Does Psalms 10:2 Mean?
The psalm shifts focus to describe the nature of the wicked—specifically, pride as the root of their cruelty toward the vulnerable. Persecution of the poor by those with power appears throughout Scripture as a grievous offense that draws God's attention and judgment.
The psalmist's prayer here is for the wicked to fall by the very snares they set for others. This reflects a principle of poetic justice: those who devise harm should themselves be caught in their own traps, a common theme in wisdom literature.
Psalms 10:2 in the Original Language
nkl (נכל), 'devices'—cunning snares or traps; what one lays in wait to catch another.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 10:2
What does Psalms 10:2 mean?
The wicked, driven by pride, harm the defenseless, and the psalmist calls for them to be trapped by their own schemes.
What is the context of Psalms 10:2?
The psalmist describes the wicked person's cruelty and calls for divine justice.