A Prayer for Help
1 Why are you far away, Lord?
Why do you hide yourself
when I am in trouble?
2 Proud and brutal people
hunt down the poor.
But let them get caught
by their own evil plans!
3 The wicked brag about
their deepest desires.
Those greedy people hate
and curse you, Lord.
4 The wicked are too proud
to turn to you
or even think about you.
5 They are always successful,
though they can't understand
your teachings,
and they keep sneering
at their enemies.
6 In their hearts they say,
“Nothing can hurt us!
We'll always be happy
and free from trouble.”
7 They curse and tell lies,
and all they talk about
is how to be cruel
or how to do wrong.
8 They hide outside villages,
waiting to strike and murder
some innocent victim.
9 They are hungry lions
hiding in the bushes,
hoping to catch
some helpless passerby.
They trap the poor in nets
and drag them away.
10 They crouch down and wait
to grab a victim.
11 They say, “God can't see!
He's got on a blindfold.”
12 Do something, Lord God,
and use your powerful arm
to help those in need.
13 The wicked don't respect you.
In their hearts they say,
“God won't punish us!”
14 But you see the trouble
and the distress,
and you will do something.
The poor can count on you,
and so can orphans.
15 Now break the power
of all merciless people.
Punish them for doing wrong
and make them stop.
16 Our Lord, you will always rule,
but every godless nation
will vanish from the earth.
17 You listen to the longings
of those who suffer.
You offer them hope,
and you pay attention
to their cries for help.
18 You defend orphans
and everyone else in need,
so that no one on earth
can terrify others again.
Palīdzības sauciens pret bezdievīgiem varmākām
1 Kāpēc, Kungs, tu turies tālu,
kāpēc paslēpies posta laikos?
2 Lepnuma pilni ļaundari grūtdieņus vajā –
liec tiem krist no viltus, ko paši kaļ.
3 Lielās ļaundaris ar savu kārību,
rijīgais nolād un gāna Kungu.
4 Ļaundaris lepns – nemeklē viņu!
To vien prāto, ka Dieva nav.
5 Vienmēr droši tā ceļi,
tava tiesa ir augstu – viņš neredz to,
kas tam naidnieki – viņš par tiem smej!
6 Viņš saka sev sirdī: es nepaklupšu,
audžu audzēs man neredzēt ļauna!
7 Lāstu pilna tam mute un viltus, un varmācības.
Tam zem mēles mokas un posts.
8 Pie apmetnēm tas paslēpies gaida,
no slēpņa tas nokauj nevainīgo,
uz vārgdieni tam acis lūr.
9 Viņš uzglūn slepus kā lauva no slēpņa,
viņš uzglūn, lai grūtdieni sagrābtu,
viņš tver grūtdieni un rauj savā tīklā –
10 un satriekts tas zemē ļimst!
Zem viņa varas vārgdieņi krīt.
11 Tas saka sev sirdī: aizmirsis Dievs,
apslēpis savu vaigu, nemūžam viņš neredz!
12 Jel celies, Kungs! Dievs, vēz savu roku!
Neaizmirsti grūtdieņus!
13 Kā ļaundaris drīkst gānīt Dievu?!
Tas saka sev sirdī: viņš nevajās!
14 Tu taču redzi mokas un sūrumu,
tu pamani to un ņem savā rokā –
tik uz tevi vārgdieņi paļaujas,
bāreņu palīgs tik tu!
15 Samaitātā un ļaundara elkoni salauz,
vajā negantību, lai iznīkst!
16 Kungs ir valdnieks uz laiku laikiem –
lai citas tautas paput no viņa zemes!
17 Nabago alkas uzklausi, Kungs!
Drošini viņu sirdis, pievērs tiem ausi!
18 Nes tiesu bāreņiem un apspiestiem,
lai nebēg vairs bailēs ļaudis no zemes!
