Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 10:12-18

"Arise, O Jehovah; O God, lift up thy hand: Forget not the poor. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God, And say in his heart, Thou wilt not require [it]? Thou hast seen [it]; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: The helpless committeth [himself] unto thee; Thou hast been the helper of the fatherless. Break thou the arm of the wicked; And as for the evil man, seek out his wickedness till thou find none. Jehovah is King for ever and ever: The nations are perished out of his land. Jehovah, thou hast heard the desire of the meek: Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear; To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, That man who is of the earth may be terrible no more." — Psalms 10:12-18 (ASV)

The psalmist speaks with astonishment, at the wickedness of the wicked, and at the patience and forbearance of God. God prepares the heart for prayer by kindling holy desires, and strengthening our most holy faith, fixing the thoughts, and raising the affections, and then he graciously accepts the prayer. The preparation of the heart is from the Lord, and we must seek it from him.

Let the poor, afflicted, persecuted, or tempted believer recollect that Satan is the prince of this world and that he is the father of all the ungodly. The children of God cannot expect kindness, truth, or justice from those who crucified the Lord of glory. But this once-suffering Jesus now reigns as King over all the earth, and of his dominion there shall be no end.

Let us commit ourselves to him, humbly trusting in his mercy. He will rescue the believer from every temptation, and break the arm of every wicked oppressor, and bruise Satan under our feet shortly. But in heaven alone will all sin and temptation be shut out, though in this life the believer has a foretaste of deliverance.