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.

² The Lord looks down from heaven^(C)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,^(D)
    any who seek God.^(E)
3 All have turned away,^(F) all have become corrupt;^(G)
    there is no one who does good,^(H)
    not even one.^(I)

⁴ Do all these evildoers know nothing?^(J)

They devour my people^(K) as though eating bread;
    they never call on the Lord.^(L)
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    for God is present in the company of the righteous.
⁶ You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is their refuge.^(M)

⁷ Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!^(N)
    When the Lord restores^(O) his people,
    let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

⁷ The law of the Lord^(O) is perfect,^(P)
    refreshing the soul.^(Q)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,^(R)
    making wise the simple.^(S)
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,^(T)
    giving joy^(U) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.^(V)
9 The fear of the Lord^(W) is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.^(X)

¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,^(Y)
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,^(Z)
    than honey from the honeycomb.^(AA)
11 By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.^(AB)
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;^(AC)
    may they not rule over me.^(AD)
Then I will be blameless,^(AE)
    innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing^(AF) in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock^(AG) and my Redeemer.^(AH)

⁵ Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
    He will snatch you up and pluck^(J) you from your tent;
    he will uproot^(K) you from the land of the living.^(L)
6 The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh^(M) at you, saying,
⁷ “Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold^(N)
but trusted in his great wealth^(O)
    and grew strong by destroying others!”

⁸ But I am like an olive tree^(P)
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust^(Q) in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
⁹ For what you have done I will always praise you^(R)
    in the presence of your faithful people.^(S)
And I will hope in your name,^(T)
    for your name is good.^(U)

² God looks down from heaven^(D)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,^(E)
    any who seek God.^(F)
3 Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.^(G)

⁴ Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on God.
⁵ But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    where there was nothing to dread.^(H)
God scattered the bones^(I) of those who attacked you;^(J)
    you put them to shame,^(K) for God despised them.^(L)

⁶ Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When God restores his people,
    let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

² Why do the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”^(D)
3 Our God is in heaven;^(E)
    he does whatever pleases him.^(F)
4 But their idols are silver and gold,^(G)
    made by human hands.^(H)
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,^(I)
    eyes, but cannot see.
⁶ They have ears, but cannot hear,
    noses, but cannot smell.
⁷ They have hands, but cannot feel,
    feet, but cannot walk,
    nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
⁸ Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

⁹ All you Israelites, trust^(J) in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.
¹⁰ House of Aaron,^(K) trust in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.
¹¹ You who fear him,^(L) trust in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.

¹² The Lord remembers^(M) us and will bless us:^(N)
    He will bless his people Israel,
    he will bless the house of Aaron,
¹³ he will bless those who fear^(O) the Lord—
    small and great alike.

¹⁴ May the Lord cause you to flourish,^(P)
    both you and your children.
¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven^(Q) and earth.

¹⁶ The highest heavens belong to the Lord,^(R)
    but the earth he has given^(S) to mankind.
¹⁷ It is not the dead^(T) who praise the Lord,
    those who go down to the place of silence;
¹⁸ it is we who extol the Lord,^(U)
    both now and forevermore.^(V)

Praise the Lord.^[a](W)