1 W hy do You stand afar off, O Lord ? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?

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

2 I n pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

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

3 F or the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns the Lord.

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

4 T he wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, “ There is no God.”

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

5 H is ways prosper at all times; Your judgments are on high, out of his sight; As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them.

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

6 H e says to himself, “ I will not be moved; Throughout all generations I will not be in adversity.”

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

7 H is mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.

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

8 H e sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the hiding places he kills the innocent; His eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate.

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

9 H e 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.

He 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.

10 H e crouches, he bows down, And the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones.

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

11 H e says to himself, “God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”

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

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

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

13 W hy has the wicked spurned God? He has said to himself, “You will not require it.”

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

14 Y ou 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.

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

15 B reak the arm of the wicked and the evildoer, Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

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

16 T he Lord is King forever and ever; Nations have perished from His land.

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

17 O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear

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

18 T o vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.

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