Wherefore is it that Thou, O Lord,
Dost stand from us afar?
And where­fore hid­est Thou Thy­self,
When times so troub­lous are?

The wick­ed in his lof­ti­ness
Doth per­se­cute the poor:
In these de­vic­es they have framed
Let them be tak­en sure.

The wick­ed of his heart’s desire
Doth talk with boast­ing great;
He bless­eth him that’s co­vet­ous,
Whom yet the Lord doth hate.

The wick­ed, through his pride of face,
On God he doth not call;
And in the coun­sels of his heart
The Lord is not at all.

His ways they al­ways griev­ous are;
Thy judg­ments from his sight
Removèd are: at all his foes
He puff­eth with des­pite.

Within his heart he thus hath said,
I shall not mov­èd be;
And no ad­ver­si­ty at all
Shall ev­er come to me.

His mouth with curs­ing, fraud, de­ceit,
Is filled abun­dant­ly;
And un­der­neath his tongue there is
Mischief and va­ni­ty.

He clos­ely sits in vil­lag­es;
He slays the in­no­cent:
Against the poor that pass him by
His cru­el eyes are bent.

He, li­on-like, lurks in his den;
He waits the poor to take;
And when he draws him in his net,
His prey he doth him make.

Himself he hum­bleth ve­ry low,
He crouch­eth down with­al,
That so a mul­ti­tude of poor
May by his strong ones fall.

He thus hath said with­in his heart,
The Lord hath quite for­got;
He hides His coun­te­nance, and He
For ev­er sees it not.

O Lord, do Thou arise; O God,
Lift up Thine hand on high:
Put not the meek af­flict­ed ones
Out of Thy me­mo­ry.

Why is it that the wick­ed man
Thus doth the Lord des­pise?
Because that God will it re­quire
He in his heart de­nies.

Thou hast it seen; for their mis­chief
And spite Thou wilt re­pay:
The poor com­mits him­self to Thee;
Thou art the or­phan’s stay.

The arm break of the wick­ed man,
And of the ev­il one;
Do Thou seek out his wick­ed­ness,
Until Thou find­est none.

The Lord is king through ag­es all,
E’en to eter­ni­ty;
The hea­then peo­ple from His land
Are per­ished ut­ter­ly.

O Lord, of those that hum­ble are
Thou the de­sire didst hear;
Thou wilt pre­pare their heart, and Thou
To hear wilt bend Thine ear;

To judge the fa­ther­less, and those
That are op­press­èd sore;
That man, that is but sprung of earth,
May them op­press no more.