Psalms

1Why do you stand far off, LORD?Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

2In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak.They are caught in the schemes that they devise.

3For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings.He blesses the greedy and condemns the LORD.

4The wicked, in the pride of his face,has no room in his thoughts for God.

5His ways are prosperous at all times.He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight.As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.

6He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.”

7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression.Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

8He lies in wait near the villages.From ambushes, he murders the innocent.His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.

9He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush.He lies in wait to catch the helpless. He catches the helpless when he draws him in his net.

10The helpless are crushed.They collapse. They fall under his strength.

11He says in his heart, “God has forgotten.He hides his face. He will never see it.”

12Arise, LORD!God, lift up your hand! Don’t forget the helpless.

13Why does the wicked person condemn God,and say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account”?

14But you do see trouble and grief.You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.

15Break the arm of the wicked.As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none.

16The LORD is King forever and ever!The nations will perish out of his land.

17LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble.You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear,

18to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.

1Why, Jehovah, dost Thou stand at a distance? Thou dost hide in times of adversity,

2Through the pride of the wicked, Is the poor inflamed, They are caught in devices that they devised.

3Because the wicked hath boasted Of the desire of his soul, And a dishonest gainer he hath blessed, He hath despised Jehovah.

4The wicked according to the height of his face, inquireth not. 'God is not!' [are] all his devices.

5Pain do his ways at all times, On high [are] Thy judgments before him, All his adversaries — he puffeth at them.

6He hath said in his heart, 'I am not moved,' To generation and generation not in evil.

7Of oaths his mouth is full, And deceits, and fraud: Under his tongue [is] perverseness and iniquity,

8He doth sit in an ambush of the villages, In secret places he doth slay the innocent. His eyes for the afflicted watch secretly,

9He lieth in wait in a secret place, as a lion in a covert. He lieth in wait to catch the poor, He catcheth the poor, drawing him into his net.

10He is bruised — he boweth down, Fallen by his mighty ones hath the afflicted.

11He said in his heart, 'God hath forgotten, He hath hid His face, He hath never seen.'

12Arise, O Jehovah! O God, lift up Thy hand! Forget not the humble.

13Wherefore hath the wicked despised God? He hath said in his heart, 'It is not required.'

14Thou hast seen, For Thou perverseness and anger beholdest; By giving into Thy hand, On Thee doth the afflicted leave [it], Of the fatherless Thou hast been an helper.

15Break the arm of the wicked and the evil, Seek out his wickedness, find none;

16Jehovah [is] king to the age, and for ever, The nations have perished out of His land!

17The desire of the humble Thou hast heard, O Jehovah. Thou preparest their heart; Thou causest Thine ear to attend,

18To judge the fatherless and bruised: He addeth no more to oppress — man of the earth!