| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? | 1Why, LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble? |
| 2The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. | 2The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed; the oppressed are trapped by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up. |
| 3For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. | 3Yes, the wicked man boasts because he gets what he wants; the one who robs others curses and rejects the LORD. |
| 4The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. | 4The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks, "God won't hold me accountable; he doesn't care." |
| 5His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. | 5He is secure at all times. He has no regard for your commands; he disdains all his enemies. |
| 6He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. | 6He says to himself, "I will never be upended, because I experience no calamity." |
| 7His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. | 7His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words; his tongue injures and destroys. |
| 8He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. | 8He waits in ambush near the villages; in hidden places he kills the innocent. His eyes look for some unfortunate victim. |
| 9He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. | 9He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket; he lies in ambush, waiting to catch the oppressed; he catches the oppressed by pulling in his net. |
| 10He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. | 10His victims are crushed and beaten down; they are trapped in his sturdy nets. |
| 11He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it. | 11He says to himself, "God overlooks it; he does not pay attention; he never notices." |
| 12Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. | 12Rise up, LORD! O God, strike him down! Do not forget the oppressed! |
| 13Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. | 13Why does the wicked man reject God? He says to himself, "You will not hold me accountable." |
| 14Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. | 14You have taken notice, for you always see one who inflicts pain and suffering. The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you; you deliver the fatherless. |
| 15Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none. | 15Break the arm of the wicked and evil man! Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds, which he thought you would not discover. |
| 16The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land. | 16The LORD rules forever! The nations are driven out of his land. |
| 17LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: | 17LORD, you have heard the request of the oppressed; you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer. |
| 18To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress. | 18You defend the fatherless and oppressed, so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them. |
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