He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
He croucheth. So the Hebrew Qeri' reads х yidkeh (H1794)] without "and." But the Kethibh (written text), reads the copula [wªdaakaah, from daakah (H1794), the same as daakak], 'And he bows himself down.' This marks his cunning, implied in the last clause (Psalms 10:9), with which this clause is connected by 'and.' As the net lies low, not to be seen by the victim, so the wicked can assume a lowly character in order to deceive his intended prey, the poor (Psalms 57:6).
That the poor may fall by his strong ones. The wicked man is an ideal person, and "his strong ones" are his individual representatives. These stand in contrast to "the poor" (literally, 'those at once afflicted and weak,' note, Psalms 10:8). Gesenius takes "his strong ones" to mean his strong limbs, teeth, etc.; thus the image of the lion is retained. But David had dropped this image for that of a hunter with his "net" (Psalms 10:9).