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1Why dost thou stand afar off, O Lord?

Why dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble?

2In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;

let them be caught in the schemes which they have devised.

3For the wicked boasts of the desires of his heart,

and the man greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.

4In the pride of his countenance the wicked does not seek him;

all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”

5His ways prosper at all times;

thy judgments are on high, out of his sight;

as for all his foes, he puffs at them.

6He thinks in his heart, “I shall not be moved;

throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”

7His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;

under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.

8He sits in ambush in the villages;

in hiding places he murders the innocent.

His eyes stealthily watch for the hapless,

9he lurks in secret like a lion in his covert;

he lurks that he may seize the poor,

he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.

10The hapless is crushed, sinks down,

and falls by his might.

11He thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten,

he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

12Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thy hand;

forget not the afflicted.

13Why does the wicked renounce God,

and say in his heart, “Thou wilt not call to account”?

14Thou dost see; yea, thou dost note trouble and vexation,

that thou mayst take it into thy hands;

the hapless commits himself to thee;

thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.

15Break thou the arm of the wicked and evildoer;

seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

16The Lord is king for ever and ever;

the nations shall perish from his land.

17Lord, thou wilt hear the desire of the meek;

thou wilt strengthen their heart, thou wilt incline thy ear

18to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,

so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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