| 1 |
לָמָּה יְהוָה תַּעֲמֹד בְּרָחוֹק תַּעְלִים לְעִתּוֹת בַּצָּרָה׃ |
Lámah Adonai ta'amód berakhóq, ta'lím le'ittót batstsaráh. |
Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? |
| 2 |
בְּגַאֲוַת רָשָׁע יִדְלַק עָנִי יִתָּפְשׂוּ בִּמְזִמּוֹת זוּ חָשָׁבוּ׃ |
Bega'avát rashá' yidlóq 'aní, yittafsú bimzimmót zu khashávu. |
In his pride the wicked hotly pursues the poor; let them be caught in the schemes they have devised. |
| 3 |
כִּי־הִלֵּל רָשָׁע עַל־תַּאֲוַת נַפְשׁוֹ וּבֹצֵעַ בֵּרֵךְ נִאֵץ יְהוָה׃ |
Ki-hillél rashá' 'al-ta'avát nafshó, ubotsé'a berékh ni'éts Adonai. |
For the wicked boasts of his soul's desire, and the greedy curses and spurns the LORD. |
| 4 |
רָשָׁע כְּגֹבַהּ אַפּוֹ בַּל־יִדְרֹשׁ אֵין אֱלֹהִים כָּל־מְזִמּוֹתָיו׃ |
Rashá' kegóvah appó bal-yidrósh, ein Elohím kol-mezimmotáv. |
The wicked, in his haughtiness, does not seek Him; all his thoughts are: there is no God. |
| 5 |
יָחִילוּ דְרָכָיו בְּכָל־עֵת מָרוֹם מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ מִנֶּגְדּוֹ כָּל־צוֹרְרָיו יָפִיחַ בָּהֶם׃ |
Yakhílu derakháv bekhol-'ét, maróm mishpatékha minnegdó, kol-tsoreráv yafíakh bahém. |
His ways prosper at all times; Your judgments are far above him; he sneers at all his foes. |
| 6 |
אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ בַּל־אֶמּוֹט לְדֹר וָדֹר אֲשֶׁר לֹא־בְרָע׃ |
Amar belibbó bal-emmót, ledór vadór asher lo-verá'. |
He says in his heart: I shall not be moved; from generation to generation I shall meet no harm. |
| 7 |
אָלָה פִּיהוּ מָלֵא וּמִרְמוֹת וָתֹךְ תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנוֹ עָמָל וָאָוֶן׃ |
Aláh píhu malé umirmót vatókh, tákhat leshonó 'amál va'áven. |
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. |
| 8 |
יֵשֵׁב בְּמַאְרַב חֲצֵרִים בַּמִּסְתָּרִים יַהֲרֹג נָקִי עֵינָיו לְחֵלְכָה יִצְפֹּנוּ׃ |
Yeshév bema'rav khatsérim, bammistárim yahargó naqí, 'eináv lekhilkháh yitspónu. |
He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he slays the innocent; his eyes watch for the helpless. |
| 9 |
יֶאֱרֹב בַּמִּסְתָּר כְּאַרְיֵה בְסֻכֹּה יֶאֱרֹב לַחֲטוֹף עָנִי יַחְטֹף עָנִי בְּמָשְׁכוֹ בְרִשְׁתּוֹ׃ |
Ye'eróv bammistár ke'aryéh vesukkó, ye'eróv lakhatóf 'aní, yakhtóf 'aní bemoshcó verishtó. |
He lurks in secret like a lion in his den; he lurks to seize the poor; he seizes the poor as he draws him into his net. |
| 10 |
יִדְכֶּה יָשׁוּחַ וְנָפַל בַּעֲצוּמָיו חֵלְכָאִים׃ |
Yidkéh yashúakh, venafál ba'atsumáv khilkhafím. |
He crouches, he bows down, and the helpless fall by his might. |
| 11 |
אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ שָׁכַח אֵל הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו בַּל־רָאָה לָנֶצַח׃ |
Amar belibbó shakhákh El, histír panáv bal-ra'áh lanétsakh. |
He says in his heart: God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see it. |
| 12 |
קוּמָה יְהוָה אֵל נְשָׂא יָדֶךָ אַל־תִּשְׁכַּח עֲנָוִים׃ |
Kumáh Adonai El, nesá yadekha, al-tishkákh 'anavím. |
Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up Your hand; do not forget the afflicted. |
| 13 |
עַל־מֶה נִאֵץ רָשָׁע אֱלֹהִים אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ לֹא תִּדְרֹשׁ׃ |
Al-méh ni'éts rashá' Elohím, amar belibbó lo tidrósh. |
Why does the wicked spurn God, and say in his heart: You will not call to account? |
| 14 |
רָאֲתָה כִּי־אַתָּה עָמָל וָכַעַס תַּבִּיט לָתֵת בְּיָדֶךָ עָלֶיךָ יַעֲזֹב חֵלֶכָה יָתוֹם אַתָּה הָיִיתָ עוֹזֵר׃ |
Ra'táh ki-'atá 'amál vakhá'as tabbít, latét beyadekha, 'alékha ya'azóv khilkháh, yatóm atáh hayíta 'ozér. |
But You do see, for You note mischief and grief, to take it into Your hand; to You the helpless commits himself; You are the helper of the orphan. |
| 15 |
שְׁבֹר זְרוֹעַ רָשָׁע וָרָע תִּדְרוֹשׁ־רִשְׁעוֹ בַּל־תִּמְצָא׃ |
Shevór zeroa' rashá' vará', tidrósh-rish'ó bal-timtsá'. |
Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer; call his wickedness to account till You find none. |
| 16 |
יְהוָה מֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם וָעֶד אָבְדוּ גוֹיִם מֵאַרְצוֹ׃ |
Adonai mélekh 'olám va'ed, avdú goyím me'artsó. |
The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations have perished from His land. |
| 17 |
תַּאֲוַת עֲנָוִים שָׁמַעְתָּ יְהוָה תָּכִין לִבָּם תַּקְשִׁיב אָזְנֶךָ׃ |
Ta'avát 'anavím shamá'ta Adonai, takhín libbám taqshív oznékha. |
You hear the desire of the humble, O LORD; You strengthen their heart; You incline Your ear, |
| 18 |
לִשְׁפֹּט יָתוֹם וָדָךְ בַּל־יוֹסִיף עוֹד לַעֲרֹץ אֱנוֹשׁ מִן־הָאָרֶץ׃ |
Lishpót yatóm vadákh, bal-yosíf 'od la'aróts enósh min-ha'árets. |
to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed, so that man of the earth may terrify no more. |
Brief Commentary
A lament over the arrogance of the wicked who say in their heart that God has forgotten and will never see. The poor and the helpless are their prey, and the psalmist cries for God to arise.
Its confidence is that the LORD is King forever, who hears the desire of the humble and does justice for the orphan and the oppressed, so that man of the earth may terrify no more.