1Why are you so distant, Jehovah? Why do you hide in times of trouble? 2The wicked proudly persecutes the poor people. He will be caught in the schemes that he contrived. 3The wicked person boasts about his selfish desires. He blesses the covetous, which Jehovah abhors. 4In his arrogant attitude he does not search for God. His faulty reasoning concludes: »There is no God.« 5He always succeeds at what he does. Your judgments are beyond his understanding. He scoffs at all his opponents. 6He says to himself: »Nothing can shake me. I will never face trouble.« 7His mouth is full of curses, deception, and oppression. Trouble and wrongdoing are on the tip of his tongue. 8He waits in ambush in the villages. From his hiding places he kills innocent people. He searches for victims. 9He lurks in his hiding place like a lion in his den. He hides there to catch oppressed people. He catches oppressed people after he draws them into his net. 10His victims are crushed. They collapse, and they fall into the power of the wicked. 11He says in his heart to himself: »God has forgotten. He has hidden his face. He will never see it!« 12Arise, O Jehovah! Lift your hand, O God. Do not forget oppressed people! 13Why does the wicked person despise God? Why does he say in his heart: »God does not require it?« 14You have seen trouble and grief and placed them under your control. The victim entrusts himself to you. You alone have been the helper of orphans. 15Break the arm of the wicked and evil person. Pursue his wickedness until you find no more evil. 16Jehovah is king forever and ever. The nations have vanished from his land. 17You have heard the desire of humble people, O Jehovah. You encourage them. You incline your ear pay close attention to them. 18You provide justice for orphans and oppressed people so that no man will terrify them again.