1 W hy do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself, in times of trouble (distress and desperation)?

Why standest thou afar off, O Lord ? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

2 T he wicked in pride and arrogance hotly pursue and persecute the poor; let them be taken in the schemes which they have devised.

The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

3 F or the wicked man boasts (sings the praises) of his own heart’s desire, and the one greedy for gain curses and spurns, yes, renounces and despises the Lord.

For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.

4 T he wicked one in the pride of his countenance will not seek, inquire for, and yearn for God; all his thoughts are that there is no God.

The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

5 H is ways are grievous at all times; Your judgments are far above and on high out of his sight; as for all his foes, he sniffs and sneers at them.

His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

6 H e thinks in his heart, I shall not be moved; for throughout all generations I shall not come to want or be in adversity.

He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

7 H is mouth is full of cursing, deceit, oppression (fraud); under his tongue are trouble and sin (mischief and iniquity).

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

8 H e sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he slays the innocent; he watches stealthily for the poor (the helpless and unfortunate).

He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.

9 H e lurks in secret places like a lion in his thicket; he lies in wait that he may seize the poor (the helpless and the unfortunate); he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.

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.

10 i s crushed, sinks down; and the helpless falls by his mighty.

He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.

11 t hinks in his heart, God has quite forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see.

He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

12 A rise, O Lord! O God, lift up Your hand; forget not the humble.

Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.

13 W hy does the wicked condemn (spurn and renounce) God? Why has he thought in his heart, You will not call to account?

Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.

14 Y ou have seen it; yes, You note trouble and grief (vexation) to requite it with Your hand. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.

Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

15 B reak the arm of the wicked man; and as for the evil man, search out his wickedness until You find no more.

Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

16 T he Lord is King forever and ever; the nations will perish out of His land.

The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.

17 O Lord, You have heard the desire and the longing of the humble and oppressed; You will prepare and strengthen and direct their hearts, You will cause Your ear to hear,

Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

18 T o do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man, who is of the earth, may not terrify them any more.

to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.