1 WHY standest thou afar off, O LORD? and witholdest thy care in times of trouble?

2 The pride of the wicked maketh the poor to suffer; let them be taken in the devices that they have conceived.

3 For the ungodly boasts of his own desire, and the LORD is angry when the wicked is blessed.

4 The wicked in the pride of his countenance will not seek after God; and there is no God in all his thoughts.

5 His ways are always weak; thy judgments are far above out of his sight; as for all his enemies, he despises them.

6 He says in his heart, I shall not be moved from generation to generation; for he conceives evil.

7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud; under his tongue is mischief and deceit.

8 He sits in the lurking place of a den; and in a secret place does he murder the innocent; his eyes spy on the destitute.

9 He lies in wait to snare the poor by drawing him into his net.

10 He shall be humbled and overthrown, and in his bones there shall be sickness and pain.

11 He says in his heart, God has forgotten; he has turned away his face; he will never see it.

12 Arise, O LORD; O my God, lift up thine hand; forget not the afflicted.

13 Why does the wicked provoke God? He says in his heart, God does not seek vengeance.

14 Thou hast seen it; for there is mischief and wrath, for thou beholdest that he hath surrendered himself unto thy hands; and 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 Gentiles are perished out of his land.

17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the poor; thine ear hath heard the preparation of their heart;

18 Execute justice to the fatherless and to the afflicted, so that man may not be destroyed from the face of the earth.