1 WHy stand’st thou Lord a far? why hid’st
thy self in times of strait?
2 In pride the wicked persecutes
the poor afflicted weight:
snare them in their contrived plots.
3 For of his hearts desire
the wicked boasts, and covetous
blesseth, stirring God’s ire.
4 The wicked one by reason of
his countenances pride
will not seek after God: not God
so all his thoughts abide.
5 his ways do always bring forth grief,
on high thy judgments be
above his sight: his pressing foes
puff at them all will he.
6 Within his heart he thus hath said,
I moved shall not be:
from aye to aye because I am
not in adversity.
7 His mouth with cursing filled is,
deceits, and fallacy:
under his tongue perverseness is,
also iniquity.
8 In the close places of the towns
he sits, in secret dens
he slays the harmless: ‘gainst the poor
slyly his eyes down bends.
9 He closely lurks as lion lurks
in den, the poor to catch
he lurks, and trapping them in’s net
th’ afflicted poor doth snatch.
10 Down doth he crouch, and to the dust
humbly he bows withal:
that so a multitude of poor
in his strong paws may fall.
11 He saith in heart, God hath forgot:
he hides his face away,
so that he will not see this thing
unto eternal aye.
(2)
12 Jehovah rise thou up, o God
lift thou thine hand on high,
let not the meek afflicted one
be out memory.
13 Wherefore doth the ungodly man
contemn th’ almighty one?
he in his heart saith, thou wilt not
make inquisition.
14 Thou seest, for thou mark’st wrong, and spite,
with thy hand to repay:
the poor leaves it to thee, thou art
of fatherless the stay.
15 Break thou the arm of the wicked,
and of the evil one.
search thou out his impiety,
until thou findest none.
16 Jehovah king for ever is,
and to eternal aye:
out of his land the heathen folk
are perished away.
17 The meek afflicted-mans desire
Jehovah, thou dost hear:
thou firmly dost prepare their heart,
thou mak’st attent thine ear.
18 To judge the fatherless and poor:
that add no more he may
sorrowful man out of the land
with terror to dismay.