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 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, *God hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see {it}.

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

13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn 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.