1 Why standest thou afarre off, O Lord? why hidest thou thy selfe in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in his pride doeth persecute the poore: let them be taken in the deuices that they haue imagined.
3 For the wicked boasteth of his hearts desire, and blesseth the couetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.
4 The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seeke after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
5 His wayes are alwayes grieuous, thy iudgements are farre aboue out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.
6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moued: for I shall neuer be in aduersitie.
7 His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and fraud: vnder his tongue is mischiefe and vanitie.
8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doeth he murder the innocent: his eyes are priuily set against the poore.
9 He lieth in waite secretly as a lyon in his denne, he lieth in wait to catch the poore: he doth catch the poore when he draweth him into his net.
10 He croucheth, and humbleth himselfe, that the poore may fall by his strong ones.
11 Hee hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face, hee will neuer see it.
12 Arise, O Lord, O God lift vp thine hand: forget not the humble.
13 Wherefore doeth the wicked contemne God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.
14 Thou hast seene it, for thou beholdest mischiefe and spite to requite it with thy hand: the poore committeth himselfe vnto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherlesse.
15 Breake thou the arme of the wicked, and the euill man: seeke out his wickednes, till thou finde none.
16 The Lord is King for euer and euer: the heathen are perished out of his land.
17 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine eare to heare,
18 To iudge the fatherlesse and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppresse.
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.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.