1Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble? 2In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise. 3For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. 4In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God. 5He is secure in his ways at all times; Your lofty judgments are far from him; he sneers at all his foes. 6He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.” 7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue. 8He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless. 9He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net. 10They are crushed and beaten down; the hapless fall prey to his strength. 11He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.” 12Arise, O LORD! Lift up Your hand, O God! Do not forget the helpless. 13Why has the wicked man renounced God? He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.” 14But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. 15Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found. 16The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land. 17You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear, 18to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
The psalmist complains of the wickedness of the wicked. (1-11) He prays to God to appear for the relief of his people. (12-18) 1-11 God's withdrawings are very grievous to his people, especially in times of trouble. We stand afar off from God by our unbelief, and then complain that God stands afar off from us. Passionate words against bad men do more hurt than good; if we speak of their badness, let it be to the Lord in prayer; he can make them better. The sinner proudly glories in his power and success. Wicked people will not seek after God, that is, will not call upon him. They live without prayer, and that is living without God. They have many thoughts, many objects and devices, but think not of the Lord in any of them; they have no submission to his will, nor aim for his glory. The cause of this is pride. Men think it below them to be religious. They could not break all the laws of justice and goodness toward man, if they had not first shaken off all sense of religion. 12-18 The psalmist speaks with astonishment, at the wickedness of the wicked, and at the patience and forbearance of God. God prepares the heart for prayer, by kindling holy desires, and strengthening our most holy faith, fixing the thoughts, and raising the affections, and then he graciously accepts the prayer. The preparation of the heart is from the Lord, and we must seek unto him for it. Let the poor, afflicted, persecuted, or tempted believer recollect, that Satan is the prince of this world, and that he is the father of all the ungodly. The children of God cannot expect kindness, truth, or justice from such persons as crucified the Lord of glory. But this once suffering Jesus, now reigns as King over all the earth, and of his dominion there shall be no end. Let us commit ourselves unto him, humbly trusting in his mercy. He will rescue the believer from every temptation, and break the arm of every wicked oppressor, and bruise Satan under our feet shortly. But in heaven alone will all sin and temptation be shut out, though in this life the believer has a foretaste of deliverance.