☛本诗篇原文是字母诗。
为公义而祈祷
耶和华啊，你为什么站在远处？ 在患难的时候为什么隐藏？Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?
2恶人骄横地追逼困苦人； 愿他们陷在自己所设的计谋里。The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3因为恶人以自己的心愿自夸， 贪财的背弃耶和华，并且轻慢他☛“贪财的...轻慢他”或译“他称赞贪财的，却轻慢耶和华”。。For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.
4恶人面带骄傲，不寻找耶和华； 他的思想中全无神。The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
5他的路时常亨通， 你的审判不在他眼里。 至于他所有的敌人，他都向他们发怒气。His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.
6他心里说：“我必不动摇， 世世代代不遭灾难。”He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
7他满口咒骂、诡诈、欺压， 舌底尽是毒害、奸恶。His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
8他在村庄埋伏等候， 在隐密处杀害无辜的人， 他的眼睛窥探无倚无靠的人。He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.
9他埋伏在暗地，如狮子蹲在洞中。 他埋伏，要俘掳困苦人； 他拉网，就把困苦人掳去。He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
10他屈身蹲伏， 无倚无靠的人就倒在他的暴力之下。He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
11他心里说：“神竟忘记了， 神转脸永不观看。”He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
12耶和华啊，求你兴起！ 神啊，求你举手！ 不要忘记困苦人！Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.
13恶人为何轻慢神， 心里说“你必不追究”？Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.
14你已经察看， 顾念人的忧患和愁苦， 放在你的手中。 无倚无靠的人把自己交托给你， 你向来是帮助孤儿的。Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
15求你打断恶人的膀臂， 至于坏人，求你追究他的恶，直到净尽。Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
16耶和华永永远远为王， 外邦人从他的地已经灭绝了。The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.
17耶和华啊，困苦人的心愿你早已听见； 你必坚固他们的心，也必侧耳听他们的祈求，LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
18为要给孤儿和受欺压的人伸冤， 使世上的人不再威吓他们。To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.