A Prayer for Help

1Why are you far away, Lord?

Why do you hide yourself

when I am in trouble?

2Proud and brutal people

hunt down the poor.

But let them get caught

by their own evil plans!

3The wicked brag about

their deepest desires.

Those greedy people hate

and curse you, Lord.

4The wicked are too proud

to turn to you

or even think about you.

5They are always successful,

though they can't understand

your teachings,

and they keep sneering

at their enemies.

6In their hearts they say,

“Nothing can hurt us!

We'll always be happy

and free from trouble.”

7 They curse and tell lies,

and all they talk about

is how to be cruel

or how to do wrong.

8They hide outside villages,

waiting to strike and murder

some innocent victim.

9They are hungry lions

hiding in the bushes,

hoping to catch

some helpless passerby.

They trap the poor in nets

and drag them away.

10They crouch down and wait

to grab a victim.

11They say, “God can't see!

He's got on a blindfold.”

12Do something, Lord God,

and use your powerful arm

to help those in need.

13The wicked don't respect you.

In their hearts they say,

“God won't punish us!”

14But you see the trouble

and the distress,

and you will do something.

The poor can count on you,

and so can orphans.

15Now break the power

of all merciless people.

Punish them for doing wrong

and make them stop.

16Our Lord, you will always rule,

but every godless nation

will vanish from the earth.

17You listen to the longings

of those who suffer.

You offer them hope,

and you pay attention

to their cries for help.

18You defend orphans

and everyone else in need,

so that no one on earth

can terrify others again.