1 Why stand so far off, O Lord? ♦︎
Why hide yourself in time of trouble?
2 The wicked in their pride persecute the poor; ♦︎
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3 The wicked boast of their hearts desire; ♦︎
the covetous curse and revile the Lord.
4 The wicked in their arrogance say, God will not avenge it; ♦︎
in all their scheming God counts for nothing.
5 They are stubborn in all their ways,
for your judgements are far above out of their sight; ♦︎
they scoff at all their adversaries.
6 They say in their heart, I shall not be shaken; ♦︎
no harm shall ever happen to me.
7 Their mouth is full of cursing, deceit and fraud; ♦︎
under their tongue lie mischief and wrong.
8 They lurk in the outskirts
and in dark alleys they murder the innocent; ♦︎
their eyes are ever watching for the helpless.
9 They lie in wait, like a lion in his den;
they lie in wait to seize the poor; ♦︎
they seize the poor when they get them into their net.
10 The innocent are broken and humbled before them; ♦︎
the helpless fall before their power.
11 They say in their heart, God has forgotten; ♦︎
he hides his face away; he will never see it.
12 Arise, O Lord God, and lift up your hand; ♦︎
forget not the poor.
13 Why should the wicked be scornful of God? ♦︎
Why should they say in their hearts, You will not avenge it?
14 Surely, you behold trouble and misery; ♦︎
you see it and take it into your own hand.
15 The helpless commit themselves to you, ♦︎
for you are the helper of the orphan.
16 Break the power of the wicked and malicious; ♦︎
search out their wickedness until you find none.
17 The Lord shall reign for ever and ever; ♦︎
the nations shall perish from his land.
18 Lord, you will hear the desire of the poor; ♦︎
you will incline your ear to the fullness of their heart,
19 To give justice to the orphan and oppressed, ♦︎
so that people are no longer driven in terror from the land.
1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, ♦︎
for my soul takes refuge in you;
2 In the shadow of your wings will I take refuge ♦︎
until the storm of destruction has passed by.
3 I will call upon the Most High God, ♦︎
the God who fulfils his purpose for me.
4 He will send from heaven and save me
and rebuke those that would trample upon me; ♦︎
God will send forth his love and his faithfulness.
5 I lie in the midst of lions, ♦︎
people whose teeth are spears and arrows,
and their tongue a sharp sword.
6 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, ♦︎
and your glory over all the earth.
7 They have laid a net for my feet;
my soul is pressed down; ♦︎
they have dug a pit before me
and will fall into it themselves.
8 My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready; ♦︎
I will sing and give you praise.
9 Awake, my soul; awake, harp and lyre, ♦︎
that I may awaken the dawn.
10 I will give you thanks, O Lord, among the peoples; ♦︎
I will sing praise to you among the nations.
11 For your loving-kindness is as high as the heavens, ♦︎
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
12 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, ♦︎
and your glory over all the earth.