Why Standest Thou Afar, O Lord?

Why stand­est Thou afar

O Lord

Why art Thou hid in trou­ble’s hour?

The wick­ed per­se­cute the poor

In haugh­ty pride and reck­less pow­er.

Let their de­vic­es work their fall

For in their shame is all their pride;

And while they seek un­right­eous gain

The Lord of jus­tice is de­fied.

The wick­ed thinks

in fool­ish pride

There is no God who will re­pay;

He has no fear of God or man

Because God’s judg­ments long de­lay.

Unmoved by fear of com­ing doom

On fraud and wick­ed­ness in­tent

With craft he lurks and waits to catch

The help­less and the in­no­cent.

A li­on crouch­ing for his prey

He waits the poor to ov­er­throw;

He thinks that God re­mem­bers not

Or hides His face and will not know.

Arise

O Lord

lift up Thy hand

O God

pro­tect the poor and meek;

Why should the proud Thy jus­tice doubt

And words of bold de­fi­ance speak?

O Lord

Thou wilt in­deed re­quite

The sin and sor­row Thou dost see;

The help­less and the fa­ther­less

Commit them­selves

O Lord

to Thee.

Break Thou the power of wick­ed men

And let their works no long­er stand

The Lord is king for­ev­er­more

Who drove the na­tions from His land.

Lord

Thou hast heard the low­ly pray­er

The faint­ing heart Thou wilt re­store

The help­less cause Thou wilt main­tain

That mor­tal man may boast no more.