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.

1 o HERE, waarom staan U so ver weg en hou U verborge in tye van benoudheid?

2 In sy trotsheid vervolg die goddelose die ellendige. Laat hulle gegryp word in die listige planne wat hulle uitgedink het!

3 Want die goddelose juig oor die begeerte van sy siel; en hy seën hom wat onregverdige wins maak, hy verag die HERE.

4 Die goddelose, met sy neus in die hoogte, sê: Hy ondersoek nie: daar is geen God nie -- dit is al sy gedagtes!

5 Sy weë is altyd voorspoedig; hoog daarbo is u gerigte, weg van hom af; al sy teëstanders -- hy blaas op hulle.

6 Hy sê in sy hart: Ek sal nie wankel nie; van geslag tot geslag is ek die een wat nie in die ongeluk sal wees nie.

7 Sy mond is vol van vloek en van bedrog en verdrukking; onder sy tong is moeite en onreg.

8 Hy sit in die hinderlae by die dorpe; in skuilplekke maak hy die onskuldige dood; sy oë loer op die ongelukkige.

9 Hy loer in die skuilhoek soos 'n leeu in sy lêplek; hy loer om die ellendige te vang; hy vang die ellendige deur sy net toe te trek;

10 en verbryseld sink die terneer, en die ongelukkiges val in sy mag.

11 Hy sê in sy hart: God vergeet dit; Hy verberg sy aangesig; vir ewig sien Hy dit nie.

12 Staan op, HERE! o God, hef u hand op; vergeet die ellendiges nie!

13 Die goddelose, waarom verag hy God en sê in sy hart: U soek dit nie?

14 U het dit gesien; want U aanskou die moeite en verdriet, sodat 'n mens dit in u hand sal gee. Aan U gee die ongelukkige dit oor; U was 'n helper van die wees.

15 Verbreek die arm van die goddelose en slegte; besoek sy goddeloosheid totdat U niks vind nie!

16 Die HERE is Koning vir ewig en altyd; die heidene het vergaan uit sy land.

17 HERE, U het die begeerte van die ootmoediges gehoor; U sal hulle hart versterk, u oor sal luister

18 om aan die wees en verdrukte reg te doen. Geen mens uit die aarde sal langer voortgaan om skrik aan te jaag nie.