1 Why dost thou stand afar off, O LORD? Why dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. 3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire and blesses the covetous, whom the LORD abhors. 4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, does not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. 5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight; as for all his enemies, he puffs at them. 6 He has said in his heart, I shall not be moved, for I shall never be in adversity. 7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. 8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places he murders the innocent: his eyes are secretly set against the poor. 9 He 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. 10 He crouches and hides himself, and many are those who fall under his power. 11 He has said in his heart, God has forgotten; he hides his face; he will never see it.
12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand; forget not the humble. 13 In what does the wicked irritate God? He has said in his heart, Thou wilt not require accountability. 14 Thou 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. 15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man; seek out his wickedness until thou find none.
16 The LORD is King for ever and ever; the Gentiles are perished out of his land. 17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart; thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: 18 to judge the fatherless and the oppressed that the man of the earth may no longer oppress.