¹ Why do You stand afar off, O LORD?
Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? ² In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. ³ For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire,
And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD. ⁴ The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him.
All his thoughts are, “There is no God.” ⁵ His ways prosper at all times;
Your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them. ⁶ He says to himself, “I will not be moved;
Throughout all generations I will not be in adversity.” ⁷ His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness. ⁸ He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the hiding places he kills the innocent;
His eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate. ⁹ He lurks in a hiding place as a lion in his lair;
He lurks to catch the afflicted;
He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his net. ¹⁰ He crouches, he bows down,
And the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones. ¹¹ He says to himself, “God has forgotten;
He has hidden His face; He will never see it.” ¹² Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up Your hand.
Do not forget the afflicted. ¹³ Why has the wicked spurned God?
He has said to himself, “You will not require it.” ¹⁴ You have seen it, for You have beheld mischief and vexation to take it into Your hand.
The unfortunate commits himself to You;
You have been the helper of the orphan. ¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer,
Seek out his wickedness until You find none. ¹⁶ The LORD is King forever and ever;
Nations have perished from His land. ¹⁷ O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear ¹⁸ To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed,
So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.