- 1 What is the cause, that thou, O Lord,
- art now so far from thine:
- And keepest aloof thy countenance,
- from us this troubles time,
-
- 2 The poor do perish by the proud,
- and wicked men’s desire:
- Let them be taken in their craft,
- that they themselves conspire.
-
- 3 For in the lust of their own heart,
- Th’ ungodly doth delight:
- So doth the wicked praise himself,
- and doth the Lord despite.
-
- 4 He is so proud that right and wrong
- he setteth all apart:
- Nay, nay, there is no God, saith he
- for thus he thinks in heart.
-
- 5 Because his ways do prosper still,
- he doth thy laws neglect:
- And with a blast doth puff against
- such as would him correct.
-
- 6 Tush, tush, saith he, I have no dread,
- least mine estate should change:
- And why? for all adversity
- to him is very strange.
-
- 7 His mouth is full of cursedness,
- of fraud, deceit, and guile:
- Under his tongue doth mischief sit,
- and travel all the while.
-
- 8 He lieth hid in ways and holes,
- to slay the innocent:
- Against the poor that pass him by,
- his cruel eyes are bent.
-
- 9 And like a Lion privily,
- lies lurking in his den:
- (If he may snare them in his net)
- to spoil poor simple men.
-
- 10 And for the nonce full craftily
- he coucheth down, I say:
-
- 11 So are great heaps of poor men made
- by his strong power, his prey.
-
- 12 Tush, God forgetteth this, saith he,
- therefore may I be bold:
- His countenance is cast aside,
- he doth it not behold.
-
- 13 Arise, O Lord, O God in whom
- the poor man’s hope doth rest:
- Lift up thine hand, forget not Lord,
- the poor that be oppressed.
-
- 14 What blasphemy is this to thee,
- Lord, dost thou not abhor it?
- To hear the wicked in their hearts
- say, Tush, thou carest not for it.
-
- 15 But thou seest all their wickedness,
- and well dost understand:
-
- 16 That friendless and poor fatherless
- are left into thy hand.
-
- 17 Of wicked and malicious men,
- then break the power forever:
- That they with their iniquity
- may perish altogether.
-
- 18 The Lord shall reign forevermore,
- as King and God alone:
- And he will chase the heathen folk,
- out of his land each one.
-
- 19 Thou hearest (O Lord) the poor men’s
- ‘plaint their prayers and request:
- Their hearts thou wilt confirm until
- thine ears to hear be pressed.
-
- 29 To judge the poor and fatherless,
- and help them to their right:
- That they may be no more oppressed
- with men of worldly might.
