Good News Translation GNT
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Why are you so far away, O Lord? Why do you hide yourself when we are in trouble?
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Why dost thou stand afar off, O LORD? Why dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble?
2 The wicked are proud and persecute the poor; catch them in the traps they have made.
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In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes which they have devised.
3 The wicked are proud of their evil desires; the greedy curse and reject the Lord.
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For the wicked boasts of the desires of his heart, and the man greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.
4 The wicked do not care about the Lord; in their pride they think that God doesn't matter.
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In the pride of his countenance the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, "There is no God."
5 The wicked succeed in everything. They cannot understand God's judgments; they sneer at their enemies.
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His ways prosper at all times; thy judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
6 They say to themselves, "We will never fail; we will never be in trouble."
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He thinks in his heart, "I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity."
7 Their speech is filled with curses, lies, and threats; they are quick to speak hateful, evil words.
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His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
8 They hide themselves in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people. They spy on their helpless victims;
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He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the hapless,
9 they wait in their hiding place like lions. They lie in wait for the poor; they catch them in their traps and drag them away.
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he 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.
10 The helpless victims lie crushed; brute strength has defeated them.
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The hapless is crushed, sinks down, and falls by his might.
11 The wicked say to themselves, "God doesn't care! He has closed his eyes and will never see me!"
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He thinks in his heart, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it."
12 O Lord, punish those wicked people! Remember those who are suffering!
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Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thy hand; forget not the afflicted.
13 How can the wicked despise God and say to themselves, "He will not punish me"?
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Why does the wicked renounce God, and say in his heart, "Thou wilt not call to account"?
14 But you do see; you take notice of trouble and suffering and are always ready to help. The helpless commit themselves to you; you have always helped the needy.
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Thou dost see; yea, thou dost note trouble and vexation, that thou mayest take it into thy hands; the hapless commits himself to thee; thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the power of wicked and evil people; punish them for the wrong they have done until they do it no more.
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Break thou the arm of the wicked and evildoer; seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
16 The Lord is king forever and ever. Those who worship other gods will vanish from his land.
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The LORD is king for ever and ever; the nations shall perish from his land.
17 You will listen, O Lord, to the prayers of the lowly; you will give them courage.
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O LORD, thou wilt hear the desire of the meek; thou wilt strengthen their heart, thou wilt incline thy ear
18 You will hear the cries of the oppressed and the orphans; you will judge in their favor, so that mortal men may cause terror no more.
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to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.