A Prayer for Justice
Why do you hide yourself when we are in trouble?
2 The wicked are proud and persecute the poor;
catch them in the traps they have made.
the greedy curse and reject the Lord.
4 The wicked do not care about the Lord;
in their pride they think that God doesn’t matter.
They cannot understand God’s judgments;
they sneer at their enemies.
6 They say to themselves, “We will never fail;
we will never be in trouble.”
7 Their speech is filled with curses, lies, and threats;
they are quick to speak hateful, evil words.
waiting to murder innocent people.
They spy on their helpless victims;
9 they wait in their hiding place like lions.
They lie in wait for the poor;
they catch them in their traps and drag them away.
brute strength has defeated them.
11 The wicked say to themselves, “God doesn’t care!
He has closed his eyes and will never see me!”
Remember those who are suffering!
13 How can the wicked despise God
and say to themselves, “He will not punish me”?
and are always ready to help.
The helpless commit themselves to you;
you have always helped the needy.
punish them for the wrong they have done
until they do it no more.
Those who worship other gods
will vanish from his land.
you will give them courage.
18 You will hear the cries of the oppressed and the orphans;
you will judge in their favor,
so that mortal men may cause terror no more.