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

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

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

4  The wicked [saith], in the haughtiness of his countenance, He doth not search out: all his thoughts are, There is no ° Elohim|strong="H0430"God!

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

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

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

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

11  He saith in his heart, * El|strong="H0410"God hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see [it].

12  Arise, Jehovah; O * El|strong="H0410"God, lift up thy hand: forget not the afflicted.

13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn ° Elohim|strong="H0430"God? He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require [it].

14 Thou hast seen [it], 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  Break thou the arm of the wicked, and as for the evil man, seek out his wickedness [till] thou find none.

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

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

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