A Prayer for God to Throw down the Wicked

¹ Why, O Yahweh, do you stand far off? Why do you hide¹ during times of distress?

1. Or “shut your eyes”

² In arrogance the wicked persecutes¹ the poor. Let them be caught in the schemes that they devised,

1. Or “pursues”

³ for the wicked boasts about the desire of his ⌞heart⌟,¹ and the one greedy for gain curses and treats Yahweh with contempt.

1. Literally “soul”

⁴ ⌞With bald-faced pride⌟¹ the wicked will not seek God. There is no God in any of his thoughts.

1. Literally “According to the height of his nose”

⁵ His ways¹ endure at all times.² Your judgments are aloof from him. As for all his enemies, he scoffs at them.

1. According to the reading tradition (Qere)
2. Hebrew “time”

⁶ He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved ⌞throughout all generations⌟,¹ during which I will have no trouble.”

1. Literally “for a generation and a generation”

⁷ His mouth is filled with cursing, with deceits and oppression; under his tongue are trouble and evil.

⁸ He sits in ambush in villages; in the hiding places he kills the innocent. His eyes ⌞lurk⌟¹ for the helpless.

1. Literally “lie hid”

⁹ He lies in ambush ⌞secretly,⌟¹ like a lion in a thicket. He lies in ambush to seize the poor; he seizes the poor by catching him in his net.

1. Literally “in the secret places”

¹⁰ He is crushed;¹ he is bowed down;² so³ the helpless host⁴ falls by his ⌞might⌟.⁵

1. Or “and he the wicked stoops”
2. Or “he the wicked crouches”
3. Or “and”
4. According to the reading tradition (Qere)
5. Literally “mighty ones”

¹¹ He says in his heart, “God has forgotten. He has hidden his face. He never sees.”

¹² Rise up, O Yahweh; O God, lift up your hand. Do not forget the afflicted.

¹³ Why does the wicked treat God with contempt? He says in his heart, “You will not call me to account.”

¹⁴ But you have seen; indeed you have noted trouble and grief to take it into your hand. The helpless abandons himself upon you; you have been the helper for the orphan.

¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked, and as for the evil man— seek out his wickedness until you find none.

¹⁶ Yahweh is king forever and ever; the nations have perished from his land.

¹⁷ The longing of the afflicted you have heard, O Yahweh. You will make their heart secure. You will ⌞listen attentively⌟¹

1. Literally “cause your ear to hear”

¹⁸ to render judgment for the fatherless and the oppressed so that a mere mortal from the earth will no longer cause terror.