³For the wicked boasts of the desires of his heart,
and the man greedy for gain curses and renounces Yahweh.
⁴In the pride of his countenance the wicked does not seek him;
all his thoughts are, "There is no God."

⁵His ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
⁶He thinks in his heart, "I shall not be moved;
throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity."

⁷His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
⁸He sits in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places he murders the innocent.

His eyes stealthily watch for the hapless,
⁹he lurks in secret like a lion in his covert;
he lurks that he may seize the poor,
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.

¹⁰The hapless is crushed,
sinks down, and falls by his might.
¹¹He thinks in his heart, "God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it."

¹²Arise, O Yahweh; O God, lift up your hand;
forget not the afflicted.
¹³Why does the wicked renounce God,
and say in his heart, "You will not call to account"?

¹⁴You see; yea, you note trouble and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
the hapless commits himself to you;
you have been the helper of the fatherless.

¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
seek out his wickedness till you find none.
¹⁶Yahweh is king for ever and ever;
the nations shall perish from his land.

¹⁷ O Yahweh, you will hear the desire of the meek;
you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear
¹⁸to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.