The Meaning of Psalms 10:5 Explained

Psalms 10:5

KJV: His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

YLT: Pain do his ways at all times, On high are Thy judgments before him, All his adversaries -- he puffeth at them.

Darby: His ways always succeed; thy judgments are far above out of his sight; as for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.

ASV: His ways are firm at all times; Thy judgments are far above out of his sight: As for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

His ways  are always  grievous;  thy judgments  [are] far above  out of his sight: [as for] all his enemies,  he puffeth  at them. 

What does Psalms 10:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 10:1-18 - God Will Not Forget The Lowly
The malice of our foes, and especially of Satan, is powerfully described, Psalms 10:1-11. Now it is the venom beneath the serpent's tongue, Psalms 10:7; now the bandit in ambush, Psalms 10:8; now the lion in his den, and again the hunter snaring his unsuspecting prey, Psalms 10:9. And all the while God is so quiet that it seems as if He has abdicated His throne.
Then the oppressed begin to pray, committing themselves to Him, Psalms 10:12-15. May we not rise above the spirit of the Old Covenant and ask that the venomous evil which is in the heart of our foes may be exterminated, so that it leave no vestiges? And such prayer must be answered. Compare Psalms 9:19 with Psalms 10:16-17. True prayer begins with God and returns to Him. When He prepares the heart, Psalms 9:17, He prepares the answer, which exceeds all, 1 Corinthians 2:9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 10

1  David complains of the wicked
12  He prays for remedy
16  He professes his confidence

What do the individual words in Psalms 10:5 mean?

Are prospering - His ways always times far above Your judgments [are] out of his sight [As for] all his enemies he sneers at them
יָ֘חִ֤ילוּ [דרכו] (דְרָכָ֨יו ׀) בְּכָל־ עֵ֗ת מָר֣וֹם מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ מִנֶּגְדּ֑וֹ כָּל־ צ֝וֹרְרָ֗יו יָפִ֥יחַ בָּהֶֽם

יָ֘חִ֤ילוּ  Are  prospering 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חוּל 
Sense: to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained.
[דרכו]  - 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
(דְרָכָ֨יו ׀)  His  ways 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
בְּכָל־  always 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֵ֗ת  times 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
מָר֣וֹם  far  above 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָרֹום  
Sense: height.
מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ  Your  judgments  [are] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
מִנֶּגְדּ֑וֹ  out  of  his  sight 
Parse: Preposition-m, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
כָּל־  [As  for]  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
צ֝וֹרְרָ֗יו  his  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צָרַר 
Sense: to bind, be narrow, be in distress, make narrow, cause distress, besiege, be straitened, be bound.
יָפִ֥יחַ  he  sneers 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פּוּחַ 
Sense: to breathe, blow.
בָּהֶֽם  at  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural