² In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,^(C)
    who are caught in the schemes he devises.
³ He boasts^(D) about the cravings of his heart;
    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.^(E)
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
    in all his thoughts there is no room for God.^(F)
5 His ways are always prosperous;
    your laws are rejected by^[b] him;
    he sneers at all his enemies.
⁶ He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
    He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”^(G)

⁷ His mouth is full^(H) of lies and threats;^(I)
    trouble and evil are under his tongue.^(J)
8 He lies in wait^(K) near the villages;
    from ambush he murders the innocent.^(L)
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
⁹     like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;^(M)
    he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.^(N)
10 His victims are crushed,^(O) they collapse;
    they fall under his strength.
¹¹ He says to himself, “God will never notice;^(P)
    he covers his face and never sees.”^(Q)

¹² Arise,^(R) Lord! Lift up your hand,^(S) O God.
    Do not forget the helpless.^(T)
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?^(U)
    Why does he say to himself,
    “He won’t call me to account”?^(V)
14 But you, God, see the trouble^(W) of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;^(X)
    you are the helper^(Y) of the fatherless.
¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked man;^(Z)
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

¹⁶ The Lord is King for ever and ever;^(AA)
    the nations^(AB) will perish from his land.
¹⁷ You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;^(AC)
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,^(AD)
18 defending the fatherless^(AE) and the oppressed,^(AF)
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

⁹ All who make idols^(A) are nothing,
    and the things they treasure are worthless.^(B)
Those who would speak up for them are blind;^(C)
    they are ignorant, to their own shame.^(D)
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,^(E)
    which can profit nothing?^(F)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;^(G)
    such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
    they will be brought down to terror and shame.^(H)

¹² The blacksmith^(I) takes a tool
    and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
    he forges it with the might of his arm.^(J)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
    he drinks no water and grows faint.^(K)
13 The carpenter^(L) measures with a line
    and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
    and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in human form,^(M)
    human form in all its glory,
    that it may dwell in a shrine.^(N)
14 He cut down cedars,
    or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
    or planted a pine,^(O) and the rain made it grow.
¹⁵ It is used as fuel^(P) for burning;
    some of it he takes and warms himself,
    he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships^(Q) it;
    he makes an idol and bows^(R) down to it.
¹⁶ Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
    over it he prepares his meal,
    he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
    “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.^(S)”
¹⁷ From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
    he bows down to it and worships.^(T)
He prays^(U) to it and says,
    “Save^(V) me! You are my god!”
¹⁸ They know nothing, they understand^(W) nothing;
    their eyes^(X) are plastered over so they cannot see,
    and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
¹⁹ No one stops to think,
    no one has the knowledge or understanding^(Y) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;^(Z)
    I even baked bread over its coals,
    I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable^(AA) thing from what is left?
    Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”^(AB)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;^(AC) a deluded^(AD) heart misleads him;
    he cannot save himself, or say,
    “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?^(AE)”

²¹ “Remember^(AF) these things, Jacob,
    for you, Israel, are my servant.^(AG)
I have made you, you are my servant;^(AH)
    Israel, I will not forget you.^(AI)
22 I have swept away^(AJ) your offenses like a cloud,
    your sins like the morning mist.
Return^(AK) to me,
    for I have redeemed^(AL) you.”

²³ Sing for joy,^(AM) you heavens, for the Lord has done this;
    shout aloud, you earth^(AN) beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,^(AO)
    you forests and all your trees,^(AP)
for the Lord has redeemed^(AQ) Jacob,
    he displays his glory^(AR) in Israel.

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives^(Q)
    and gave gifts to his people.”^[b](R)