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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse shifts metaphors mid-thought, moving from a lurking lion in its den to a hunter with a net. This isn't a slip; it highlights how the wicked employ both brute force and cunning deception to trap the vulnerable. The progression reveals a layered attack, not just raw aggression, but a calculated snare designed to exploit and capture.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist paints a vivid picture of the wicked, describing their deceitful mouths and their secret, predatory behavior. This verse continues that description, likening the wicked to a lion lurking in its den, patiently waiting to ambush and capture the vulnerable poor. The verses immediately following will show the wicked's arrogance and their belief that God doesn't see their evil deeds.
The wicked don't just lash out; they lay intricate traps. This verse reveals a chilling blend of animalistic predation and calculated deception.
This verse paints a vivid, disturbing picture of the wicked.
The Lion's Ambush
Like a lion in its den, the wicked lurks in secret places, waiting patiently for an opportune moment. This isn't random violence; it's deliberate and hidden.
The Hunter's Net
But the simile shifts from a predator to a hunter. The wicked doesn't just pounce; they ensnare. They use 'nets'—deceit, false promises, or manipulation—to draw the vulnerable in before capturing them.
This duality shows a calculated, methodical approach to causing harm, making their actions even more insidious.
Who are the targets of this wicked scheme? The verse points to a specific group, revealing the cruel heart of the oppressor.
The primary victims in this psalm are consistently described as 'the poor.' This term often refers to more than just financial poverty.
More Than Just Poverty
In the context of Psalms, 'the poor' frequently includes those who are:
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The wicked specifically targets these individuals because their vulnerability makes them easier prey for the lion's stealth and the hunter's net. Their weakness is precisely what the wicked exploits.
Understand the original words
aniy · Hebrew Noun
Biblically, refers to the impoverished or needy. It denotes those who are afflicted, humbled, or lacking material security, often contrasted with the arrogant oppressor.
resheth · Hebrew Noun
A metaphorical instrument of entrapment. It symbolizes being ensnared by the schemes, plots, or violence of the wicked.
This psalm vividly portrays the predatory cruelty experienced by the vulnerable during the tumultuous period of the Babylonian exile, when powerful oppressors acted with impunity, mirroring the actions of a lion ambushing its prey.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire at its Zenith
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, known for its military might and brutal tactics, dominated the Near East. Its vast conquests and oppressive rule created widespread fear and instability, impacting the lives of many.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel
The Assyrian Empire conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting a significant portion of its population. This event created a sense of vulnerability and divine abandonment among the remaining Israelites.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquered Judah, beginning a series of deportations that sent many prominent Judeans, including members of the royal family and skilled workers, into exile in Babylon.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deported more of Jerusalem's elite and resources to Babylon. This intensified the sense of crisis and questioned God's presence and power.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroyed Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and plunging the Judean people into profound despair and spiritual questioning during their Babylonian exile.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest and Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon. His edict allowed exiled peoples, including the Judeans, to return to their homeland and rebuild their temples, marking the end of the Babylonian exile.
This verse echoes the deceptive nature of the wicked, likening them to a dog returning to its vomit, highlighting their ingrained, repeated cycles of sin and harmful actions.
Jeremiah 5:26This passage describes wicked individuals who prey on the vulnerable, using the imagery of trappers and fowlers, which parallels the 'net' metaphor used in Psalm 10:9 for ensnaring the poor.
Matthew 13:24-30Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares illustrates how evil lurks undetected among the good, only to be revealed and dealt with at the proper time, much like the hidden schemes of the wicked described in this psalm.
1 Peter 5:8This verse offers a direct parallel by warning believers that their adversary, the devil, prowls like a roaring lion seeking to devour, mirroring the predatory nature of the wicked described in Psalm 10:9.
calvinPsalms 10:7-10: "His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity."
- His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and malice: under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8. He will sit in the ensnaring places of the villages; in his lurking places will he murder the innocent: his eyes will take their aim against the poor. 9. He will lie in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; he will lie in wait to catch the poor; he will catch the poor by drawing him in…
ellicottPsalms 10:9: "He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net."
(9 ) Lieth in wait. —A confusion of metaphor. The wicked is first, the lion watching for his prey, and then the hunter snaring animals. “Poor,” here—better, afflicted (see Psalm 9:12 ). Translate, in his hiding-place he lurks, as a lion in his lair, lurks to seize a sufferer, seizes a sufferer, drawing him into his net. Psalm 10:10He crouch…
The verse shifts metaphors mid-thought, moving from a lurking lion in its den to a hunter with a net. This isn't a slip; it highlights how the wicked employ both brute force and cunning deception to trap the vulnerable. The progression reveals a layered attack, not just raw aggression, but a calculated snare designed to exploit and capture.
The psalmist paints a vivid picture of the wicked, describing their deceitful mouths and their secret, predatory behavior. This verse continues that description, likening the wicked to a lion lurking in its den, patiently waiting to ambush and capture the vulnerable poor. The verses immediately following will show the wicked's arrogance and their belief that God doesn't see their evil deeds.
The psalmist paints a vivid picture of the wicked, describing their deceitful mouths and their secret, predatory behavior. This verse continues that description, likening the wicked to a lion lurking in its den, patiently waiting to ambush and capture the vulnerable poor. The verses immediately following will show the wicked's arrogance and their belief that God doesn't see their evil deeds.
"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." — The verse shifts metaphors mid-thought, moving from a lurking lion in its den to a hunter with a net. This isn't a slip; it highlights how the wicked employ both brute force and cunning deception to…
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Last reviewed October 2026