1 ¶ Why dost thou stand afar off, O LORD? Why dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble?

Why, Jehovah, standest thou afar off? hidest thou thyself in times of distress?

2 T he wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

The wicked, in his pride, doth hotly pursue the afflicted. They shall be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

3 F or the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire and blesses the covetous, whom the LORD abhors.

For the wicked boasteth of his soul's desire, and he blesseth the covetous; he contemneth Jehovah.

4 T he wicked, through the pride of his countenance, does not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, He doth not search out: all his thoughts are, There is no God!

5 H is ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight; as for all his enemies, he puffs at them.

His ways always succeed; thy judgments are far above out of his sight; all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.

6 H e has said in his heart, I shall not be moved, for I shall never be in adversity.

He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved; from generation to generation I shall be in no adversity.

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

His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

8 H e sits in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places he murders the innocent: his eyes are secretly set against the poor.

He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; in the secret places doth he slay the innocent: his eyes watch for the wretched.

9 H e lies in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lies in wait to catch the poor: he catches the poor when he draws him into his net.

He lieth in wait secretly, like a lion in his thicket; he lieth in wait to catch the afflicted: he doth catch the afflicted, drawing him into his net.

10 H e crouches and hides himself, and many are those who fall under his power.

He croucheth, he boweth down, that the wretched may fall by his strong ones.

11 H e has said in his heart, God has forgotten; he hides his face; he will never see it.

He saith in his heart, God hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see.

12 ¶ Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand; forget not the humble.

Arise, Jehovah; O God, lift up thy hand: forget not the afflicted.

13 I n what does the wicked irritate God? He has said in his heart, Thou wilt not require accountability.

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

14 T hou hast seen it, for thou dost behold mischief and spite to requite it with thy hand: the poor commits himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

Thou hast seen, for thou thyself beholdest trouble and vexation, to requite by thy hand. The wretched committeth himself unto thee; thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.

15 B reak thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man; seek out his wickedness until thou find none.

Break thou the arm of the wicked, and as for the evil man, seek out his wickedness thou find none.

16 T he LORD is King for ever and ever; the Gentiles are perished out of his land.

Jehovah is King for ever and ever: the nations have perished out of his land.

17 L ORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart; thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Jehovah, thou hast heard the desire of the meek, thou hast established their heart: thou causest thine ear to hear,

18 t o judge the fatherless and the oppressed that the man of the earth may no longer oppress.

To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed one, that the man of the earth may terrify no more.