1 WHY standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.
4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will 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 puffeth at them.
6 He hath 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 sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.
9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.
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 beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth 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 till thou find none.
16 The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen 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 more oppress.

1Why standest thou afarre off, O Lord? why hidest thou thy selfe in times of trouble?

2The wicked in his pride doeth persecute the poore: let them be taken in the deuices that they haue imagined.

3For the wicked boasteth of his hearts desire, and blesseth the couetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.

4The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seeke after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

5His wayes are alwayes grieuous, thy iudgements are farre aboue out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

6He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moued: for I shall neuer be in aduersitie.

7His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and fraud: vnder his tongue is mischiefe and vanitie.

8He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doeth he murder the innocent: his eyes are priuily set against the poore.

9He lieth in waite secretly as a lyon in his denne, he lieth in wait to catch the poore: he doth catch the poore when he draweth him into his net.

10He croucheth, and humbleth himselfe, that the poore may fall by his strong ones.

11Hee hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face, hee will neuer see it.

12Arise, O Lord, O God lift vp thine hand: forget not the humble.

13Wherefore doeth the wicked contemne God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.

14Thou hast seene it, for thou beholdest mischiefe and spite to requite it with thy hand: the poore committeth himselfe vnto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherlesse.

15Breake thou the arme of the wicked, and the euill man: seeke out his wickednes, till thou finde none.

16The Lord is King for euer and euer: the heathen are perished out of his land.

17Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine eare to heare,

18To iudge the fatherlesse and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppresse.

II == Ps 7:16 ; 9:15-16 ; Prov 5:22

III == Ps 94:4 ; Prov 28:4

IV == Ps 14:1-2 ; 53:1

V == Ps 12:5 ; Prov 24:7 ; Isa 26:11

VI == Ecci 8:11 ; Isa 56:12 ; Rev 18:7

VII == Job 20:12 ; Ps 12:2 ; Rom 3:14

VIII == Ps 17:11 ; Hab 3:14

IX == Ps 17:12 ; Mic 7:2

XI == Job 22:13 ; Ps 73:11 ; 94:7 ; Ezek 8:12 ; 9:9

XII == Mic 5:9

XIV == Hos 14:3 ; 2nd Tim 1:12

XV == Ps 37:17

XVI == Ps 29:10 ; Jer 10:10 ;Lam 5:19 ; Dan 4:34 ; 6:26

XVIII == Ps 82:3 ; Isa 11:4

1 Why, LORD, do you stand afar and pay no heed in times of trouble?

2 Arrogant scoundrels pursue the poor; they trap them by their cunning schemes.

3The wicked even boast of their greed; these robbers curse and scorn the LORD.

4 In their insolence the wicked boast: “God does not care; there is no God.”

5 Yet their affairs always succeed; they ignore your judgment on high; they sneer at all who oppose them.

6 They say in their hearts, “We will never fall; never will we see misfortune.”

7 Their mouths are full of oaths, violence, and lies; discord and evil are under their tongues.

8 They wait in ambush near towns; their eyes watch for the helpless to murder the innocent in secret.

9 They lurk in ambush like lions in a thicket, hide there to trap the poor, snare them and close the net.

10 The helpless are crushed, laid low; they fall into the power of the wicked,

11 Who say in their hearts, “God has forgotten, shows no concern, never bothers to look.”

12Rise up, LORD! God, lift up your hand! Do not forget the poor!

13 Why should the wicked scorn God, say in their hearts, “God does not care”?

14 But you do see; you take note of misery and sorrow; you take the matter in hand. To you the helpless can entrust their cause; you are the defender of orphans.

15 Break the arm of the wicked and depraved; make them account for their crimes; let none of them survive.

16 The LORD is king forever; the nations have vanished from his land.

17 You listen, LORD, to the needs of the poor; you strengthen their heart and incline your ear.

18You win justice for the orphaned and oppressed; no one on earth will cause terror again.

v 1. This is a prayer asking God not to delay caring for those who are afflicted.
v 2-11. David describes the evil characteristics of the wicked, and since God has delayed to help the afflicted, they think God does not care for them.

v 12-15. He reminds God that the wicked think they are getting away with it, so he calls upon God to punish them.

v 16-18. David closes with confidence that God has heard his prayer and will not only help the needy, but causes the oppressors to perish.