| English Standard Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? | 1LORD, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide in times of trouble? |
| 2In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. | 2In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue their victims; let them be caught in the schemes they have devised. |
| 3For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD. | 3For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings; the one who is greedy curses and despises the LORD. |
| 4In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” | 4In all his scheming, the wicked person arrogantly thinks, "There's no accountability, since there's no God." |
| 5His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. | 5His ways are always secure; your lofty judgments have no effect on him; he scoffs at all his adversaries. |
| 6He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.” | 6He says to himself, "I will never be moved--from generation to generation without calamity." |
| 7His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. | 7Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth; trouble and malice are under his tongue. |
| 8He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; | 8He waits in ambush near settlements; he kills the innocent in secret places. His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless; |
| 9he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. | 9he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket. He lurks in order to seize a victim; he seizes a victim and drags him in his net. |
| 10The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. | 10So he is oppressed and beaten down; helpless people fall because of the wicked one's strength. |
| 11He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.” | 11He says to himself, "God has forgotten; he hides his face and will never see." |
| 12Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. | 12Rise up, LORD God! Lift up your hand. Do not forget the oppressed. |
| 13Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”? | 13Why has the wicked person despised God? He says to himself, "You will not demand an account." |
| 14But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. | 14But you yourself have seen trouble and grief, observing it in order to take the matter into your hands. The helpless one entrusts himself to you; you are a helper of the fatherless. |
| 15Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none. | 15Break the arm of the wicked, evil person, until you look for his wickedness, but it can't be found. |
| 16The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. | 16The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. |
| 17O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear | 17LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble; you will strengthen their hearts. You will listen carefully, |
| 18to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more. | 18doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed so that mere humans from the earth may terrify them no more. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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