Prime

19Up, Lord, and let not man have the upper hand * let the heathen be judged in thy sight.

20Put them in fear, O Lord * that the heathen may know themselves to be but men.

Why standest thou so far off, O Lord * and hidest thy face in the needful time of trouble?

2The ungodly for his own lust doth persecute the poor * let them be taken in the crafty wiliness that they have imagined.

3For the ungodly hath made boast of his own heart’s desire * and speaketh good of the covetous, whom God abhorreth.

4The ungodly is so proud, that he careth not for God * neither is God in all his thoughts.

5His ways are alway grievous * thy judgements are far above out of his sight, and therefore defieth he all his enemies.

6For he hath said in his heart, Tush, I shall never be cast down * there shall no harm happen unto me.

7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and fraud * under his tongue is ungodliness and vanity.

8He sitteth lurking in the thievish corners of the streets * and privily in his lurking dens doth he murder the innocent; his eyes are set against the poor.

9For he lieth waiting secretly, even as a lion lurketh he in his den * that he may ravish the poor.

10He doth ravish the poor * when he getteth him into his net.

11He falleth down, and humbleth himself * that the congregation of the poor may fall into the hands of his captains.

12He hath said in his heart, Tush, God hath forgotten * he hideth away his face, and he will never see it.

13Arise, O Lord God, and lift up thine hand * forget not the poor.

14Wherefore should the wicked blaspheme God * while he doth say in his heart, Tush, thou God carest not for it.

15Surely thou hast seen it * for thou beholdest ungodliness and wrong.

16That thou mayest take the matter into thy hand * the poor committeth himself unto thee; for thou art the helper of the friendless.

17Break thou the power of the ungodly and malicious * take away his ungodliness, and thou shalt find none.

18The Lord is King for ever and ever * and the heathen are perished out of the land.

19Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poor * thou preparest their heart, and thine ear hearkeneth thereto;

20To help the fatherless and poor unto their right * that the man of the earth be no more exalted against them.

In the Lord put I my trust * how say ye then to my soul, that she should flee as a bird unto the hill?

2For lo, the ungodly bend their bow, and make ready their arrows within the quiver * that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart.

3For the foundations will be cast down * and what hath the righteous done?

4The Lord is in his holy temple * the Lord’s seat is in heaven.

5His eyes consider the poor * and his eye-lids try the children of men.

6The Lord alloweth the righteous * but the ungodly, and him that delighteth in wickedness, doth his soul abhor.

7Upon the ungodly he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest * this shall be their portion to drink.

8For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness * his countenance will behold the thing that is just.

Help me, Lord, for there is not one godly man left * for the faithful are minished from among the children of men.

2They talk of vanity every one with his neighbour * they do but flatter with their lips, and dissemble in their double heart.

3The Lord shall root out all deceitful lips * and the tongue that speaketh proud things;

4Which have said, With our tongue will we prevail * we are they that ought to speak, who is lord over us?

5Now for the comfortless trouble’s sake of the needy * and because of the deep sighing of the poor,

6I will up, saith the Lord * and will help every one from him that swelleth against him, and will set him at rest.

7The words of the Lord are pure words * even as the silver, which from the earth is tried, and purified seven times in the fire.

8Thou shalt keep them, O Lord * thou shalt preserve him from this generation for ever.

9The ungodly walk on every side * when they are exalted, the children of men are put to rebuke.