◄ Psalm 10:15 ►
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found.
Study Bible
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;

This phrase is a metaphorical expression for rendering the wicked powerless. In biblical times, the "arm" symbolized strength and power (Job 22:9, Isaiah 51:9). The psalmist is calling for divine intervention to dismantle the power structures of those who commit evil. This reflects a common theme in the Psalms where the righteous seek God's justice against oppressors (Psalm 37:17). The imagery of breaking the arm suggests a complete incapacitation of the wicked's ability to continue their harmful actions. This plea aligns with the broader biblical narrative of God as a just judge who defends the oppressed and punishes the wicked (Deuteronomy 32:35-36).

Psa 37:17 For the arms of the wicked will be broken,…
Ezk 30:21 Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt.…
Jer 48:25 The horn of Moab has been cut off, and his arm…

call him to account for his wickedness

The call for accountability underscores the biblical principle that all actions will be judged by God (Ecclesiastes 12:14, Romans 14:12). This reflects the belief in divine justice where every individual must answer for their deeds. The psalmist's plea is for God to bring the wicked to justice, ensuring that their actions do not go unpunished. This is consistent with the prophetic literature where God holds nations and individuals accountable for their sins (Amos 3:2, Jeremiah 25:31). The concept of accountability is central to the biblical understanding of justice and righteousness.

Job 34:11 For according to a man’s deeds He repays him;…
Ecc 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,…
Rom 14:12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

until none is left to be found.

This phrase emphasizes the thoroughness of God's judgment. The psalmist desires not just a temporary reprieve from wickedness but a complete eradication of evil. This reflects the eschatological hope found throughout Scripture, where God will ultimately defeat all evil (Revelation 21:4, 1 Corinthians 15:24-25). The idea of leaving "none to be found" suggests a final and total victory over wickedness, aligning with the prophetic visions of a restored creation where righteousness dwells (Isaiah 11:9, 2 Peter 3:13). This ultimate triumph over evil is also seen as a type of Christ's victory over sin and death through His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Psa 37:10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;…
Pro 10:25 When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more…
Psa 104:35 May sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more.…

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Wicked and Evildoer
This refers to individuals who act in opposition to God's righteousness, often oppressing the innocent and defying divine justice.

2. The Psalmist
Traditionally attributed to David, the psalmist is the one crying out to God for justice and intervention against the wicked.

3. God
The ultimate judge and enforcer of justice, whom the psalmist petitions to act against the wicked.
Teaching Points
Divine Justice
Trust in God's ultimate justice, even when wickedness seems prevalent. God sees all and will hold the wicked accountable.

Prayer for Justice
It is appropriate to pray for God's intervention against evil, seeking His righteous judgment.

Patience in God's Timing
Understand that God's timing is perfect, and His justice may not align with our immediate desires.

Personal Reflection
Examine our own lives for any wickedness or wrongdoing, seeking repentance and alignment with God's will.

Hope in God's Sovereignty
Maintain hope and faith in God's sovereign control over all situations, knowing He will right all wrongs.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of "breaking the arm" of the wicked help us understand God's power over evil?

2. In what ways can we apply the psalmist's prayer for justice in our own lives today?

3. How do other scriptures, like Romans 12:19, reinforce the message of leaving vengeance to God?

4. What can we learn from the psalmist's approach to dealing with the presence of evil and injustice?

5. How can we balance the desire for justice with the call to love and pray for our enemies, as taught in the New Testament?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 37
This psalm also addresses the fate of the wicked and the eventual triumph of the righteous, emphasizing trust in God's justice.

Proverbs 21:12
Highlights God's role in bringing down the wicked, reinforcing the theme of divine justice.

Romans 12:19
Encourages believers to leave vengeance to God, aligning with the psalmist's appeal for divine intervention.

Job 38:15
Speaks to the breaking of the wicked's power, similar to the imagery of breaking the arm in Psalm 10:15.
Sermons
A Theological Difficulty, a Haughty Impiety, an Earnest PrayerD. Thomas, D. D.Psalm 10:1-18
Man's Cry for a Solution of the Felt Distance of His MakerJ. Parker, D. D.Psalm 10:1-18
The Righteous GodC. Short Psalm 10:1-18
Times of Darkness and FearW. Forsyth Psalm 10:1-18
Why? Or, Hard Facts and Puzzling QuestionsC. Clemance Psalm 10:1-18
Black ArtsW. L. Watkinson.Psalm 10:7-18
OppressionThomas Brooks.Psalm 10:7-18
People
David, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Account, Arm, Break, Broken, Evil, Evildoer, Evil-doer, None, Search, Searching, Seek, Sin, Sinner, Till, Wicked, Wickedness
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 10:15

     5126   arm

Library
One Saying from Three Men
'The wicked hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved.' --PSALM x. 6. 'Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.' --PSALM xvi. 8. 'And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.' --PSALM xxx. 6. How differently the same things sound when said by different men! Here are three people giving utterance to almost the same sentiment of confidence. A wicked man says it, and it is insane presumption and defiance. A good man says it, having been lulled into false security by easy times, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Poor Man's Friend
"The poor committeth himself unto thee."--Psalm 10:14. GOD IS THE POOR MAN'S FRIEND; the poor man, in His helplessness and despair, leaves his case in the hands of God, and God undertakes to care for him. In the days of David,--and I suppose, in this respect, the world has but little improved,--the poor man was the victim of almost everybody's cruelty, and sometimes he was very shamefully oppressed. If he sought redress for his wrongs, he generally only increased them, for he was regarded as a rebel …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 53: 1907

Jerome
I, Jerome, [2568] son of Eusebius, of the city of Strido, which is on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia and was overthrown by the Goths, up to the present year, that is, the fourteenth of the Emperor Theodosius, have written the following: Life of Paul the monk, one book of Letters to different persons, an Exhortation to Heliodorus, Controversy of Luciferianus and Orthodoxus, Chronicle of universal history, 28 homilies of Origen on Jeremiah and Ezekiel, which I translated from Greek into Latin, …
Various—Jerome and Gennadius Lives of Illustrious Men.

Look we Then, Beloved, what Hardships in Labors and Sorrows Men Endure...
3. Look we then, beloved, what hardships in labors and sorrows men endure, for things which they viciously love, and by how much they think to be made by them more happy, by so much more unhappily covet. How much for false riches, how much for vain honors, how much for affections of games and shows, is of exceeding peril and trouble most patiently borne! We see men hankering after money, glory, lasciviousness, how, that they may arrive at their desires, and having gotten not lose them, they endure …
St. Augustine—On Patience

The Tests of Love to God
LET us test ourselves impartially whether we are in the number of those that love God. For the deciding of this, as our love will be best seen by the fruits of it, I shall lay down fourteen signs, or fruits, of love to God, and it concerns us to search carefully whether any of these fruits grow in our garden. 1. The first fruit of love is the musing of the mind upon God. He who is in love, his thoughts are ever upon the object. He who loves God is ravished and transported with the contemplation of …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

These Things, My Brother Aurelius, Most Dear unto Me...
38. These things, my brother Aurelius, most dear unto me, and in the bowels of Christ to be venerated, so far as He hath bestowed on me the ability Who through thee commanded me to do it, touching work of Monks, I have not delayed to write; making this my chief care, lest good brethren obeying apostolic precepts, should by lazy and disobedient be called even prevaricators from the Gospel: that they which work not, may at the least account them which do work to be better than themselves without doubt. …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks.

The Situation of the Jews During this Period.
As we have seen in earlier chapters, the declarations of Holy Writ make it very clear that Israel will yet be restored to God's favor and be rehabilitated in Palestine. But before that glad time arrives, the Jews have to pass through a season of sore trouble and affliction, during which God severely chastises them for their sins and punishes them for the rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah. Fearful indeed have been the past experiences of "the nation of the weary feet" but a darker path than …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Question Lxxxiii of Prayer
I. Is Prayer an Act of the Appetitive Powers? Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer based on Friendship II. Is it Fitting to Pray? Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer as a True Cause S. Augustine, On the Sermon on the Mount, II. iii. 14 " On the Gift of Perseverance, vii. 15 III. Is Prayer an Act of the Virtue of Religion? Cardinal Cajetan, On the Humility of Prayer S. Augustine, On Psalm cii. 10 " Of the Gift of Perseverance, xvi. 39 IV. Ought We to Pray to God Alone? S. Augustine, Sermon, cxxvii. 2 V. …
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

Out of the Deep of Suffering and Sorrow.
Save me, O God, for the waters are come in even unto my soul: I am come into deep waters; so that the floods run over me.--Ps. lxix. 1, 2. I am brought into so great trouble and misery: that I go mourning all the day long.--Ps. xxxviii. 6. The sorrows of my heart are enlarged: Oh! bring Thou me out of my distress.--Ps. xxv. 17. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping: the Lord will receive my prayer.--Ps. vi. 8. In the multitude of the sorrows which I had in my heart, Thy comforts have refreshed …
Charles Kingsley—Out of the Deep

"And the Life. " How Christ is the Life.
This, as the former, being spoken indefinitely, may be universally taken, as relating both to such as are yet in the state of nature, and to such as are in the state of grace, and so may be considered in reference to both, and ground three points of truth, both in reference to the one, and in reference to the other; to wit, 1. That our case is such as we stand in need of his help, as being the Life. 2. That no other way but by him, can we get that supply of life, which we stand in need of, for he …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Life of Jerome.
The figures in parentheses, when not otherwise indicated, refer to the pages in this volume. For a full account of the Life, the translator must refer to an article (Hieronymus) written by him in Smith and Wace's Dictionary of Christian Biography. A shorter statement may suffice here, since the chief sources of information are contained in this volume, and to these reference will be continually made. Childhood and Youth. A.D. 345. Jerome was born at Stridon, near Aquileia, but in Pannonia, a place …
St. Jerome—The Principal Works of St. Jerome

The Revelation and Career of the Anti-Christ.
Who is the Anti-christ? Varied and wild have been the answers to this question. In pre-christian times there were many who regarded Antiochus Epiphanes as the one whom Daniel and the other prophets described. At the beginning of this dispensation Nero was looked upon as the predicted Man of Sin. After the Reformation the Papacy was selected as the fulfiller of the prophecies given through the Patmos seer. And in our day there have been those who consider the Kaiser to be the Son of Perdition. It …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Being Made Archbishop of Armagh, He Suffers Many Troubles. Peace Being Made, from Being Archbishop of Armagh He Becomes Bishop of Down.
[Sidenote: 1129] 19. (12). Meanwhile[365] it happened that Archbishop Cellach[366] fell sick: he it was who ordained Malachy deacon, presbyter and bishop: and knowing that he was dying he made a sort of testament[367] to the effect that Malachy ought to succeed him,[368] because none seemed worthier to be bishop of the first see. This he gave in charge to those who were present, this he commanded to the absent, this to the two kings of Munster[369] and to the magnates of the land he specially enjoined …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

He Does Battle for the Faith; He Restores Peace among those who were at Variance; He Takes in Hand to Build a Stone Church.
57. (32). There was a certain clerk in Lismore whose life, as it is said, was good, but his faith not so. He was a man of some knowledge in his own eyes, and dared to say that in the Eucharist there is only a sacrament and not the fact[718] of the sacrament, that is, mere sanctification and not the truth of the Body. On this subject he was often addressed by Malachy in secret, but in vain; and finally he was called before a public assembly, the laity however being excluded, in order that if it were …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

Letter Xlv (Circa A. D. 1120) to a Youth Named Fulk, who Afterwards was Archdeacon of Langres
To a Youth Named Fulk, Who Afterwards Was Archdeacon of Langres He gravely warns Fulk, a Canon Regular, whom an uncle had by persuasions and promises drawn back to the world, to obey God and be faithful to Him rather than to his uncle. To the honourable young man Fulk, Brother Bernard, a sinner, wishes such joy in youth as in old age he will not regret. 1. I do not wonder at your surprise; I should wonder if you were not suprised [sic] that I should write to you, a countryman to a citizen, a monk …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

The Desire of the Righteous Granted;
OR, A DISCOURSE OF THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S DESIRES. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR As the tree is known by its fruit, so is the state of a man's heart known by his desires. The desires of the righteous are the touchstone or standard of Christian sincerity--the evidence of the new birth--the spiritual barometer of faith and grace--and the springs of obedience. Christ and him crucified is the ground of all our hopes--the foundation upon which all our desires after God and holiness are built--and the root …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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