| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide 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 persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. | 2The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed; the oppressed are trapped by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up. |
| 3For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD. | 3Yes, the wicked man boasts because he gets what he wants; the one who robs others curses and rejects the LORD. |
| 4The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of 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 prospering; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight; As for all his enemies, he sneers at them. | 5He is secure at all times. He has no regard for your commands; he disdains all his enemies. |
| 6He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved; 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 oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity. | 7His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words; his tongue injures and destroys. |
| 8He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the secret places he murders the innocent; His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless. | 8He waits in ambush near the villages; in hidden places he kills the innocent. His eyes look for some unfortunate victim. |
| 9He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws 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. |
| 10So he crouches, he lies low, That the helpless may fall by his strength. | 10His victims are crushed and beaten down; they are trapped in his sturdy nets. |
| 11He has said in his heart, “God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see.” | 11He says to himself, "God overlooks it; he does not pay attention; he never notices." |
| 12Arise, O LORD! O God, lift up Your hand! Do not forget the humble. | 12Rise up, LORD! O God, strike him down! Do not forget the oppressed! |
| 13Why do the wicked renounce God? He has said in his heart, “You will not require an account.” | 13Why does the wicked man reject God? He says to himself, "You will not hold me accountable." |
| 14But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief, To repay it by Your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are 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 the arm of the wicked and the evil man; Seek out his wickedness until You 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 forever and ever; The nations have perished out of His land. | 16The LORD rules forever! The nations are driven out of his land. |
| 17LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, | 17LORD, you have heard the request of the oppressed; you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer. |
| 18To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more. | 18You defend the fatherless and oppressed, so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them. |
|
    |