WHat is the cause that thou, O Lord,
art now so far from thine,
And keepest close thy countenance
from us this troublous time?
[verse 2] The poor do perish by the proud,
and wicked men, desire:
Let them be taken in the craft
that they themselves conspire.
[verse 3] For in the lust of his own heart
th' ungodly doth delight:
So doth the wicked praise himself,
and doth the Lord d••spight.
[verse 4] He is so proud, that right and wrong
he setteth all apart:
Nay, nay, there is no God, saith he,
for thus he thinks in heart.
[verse 5] Because his ways do prosper still,
he doth thy laws neglect,
And with a blast doth puff against
such as would him correct.
[verse 6] Tush, tush, saith he, I have no dread,
lest mine estate should change.
And why? for all adversity
to him is very strange.
[verse 7] His mouth is full of cursedness,
of fraud, deceit, and guile:
Under his tongue doth mischief sit,
and travel all the while.
[verse 8] He lieth hid in ways and holes
to slay the innocent:
Against the poor that pass him by
his cruel eyes are bent.
[verse 9] And like a lion privily
lies lurking in his den,
If he may snare them in his net,
to spoil poor simple men.
[verse 10] And for the nonce full craftily
he croucheth down, I say:
[verse 11] So are great heaps of poor men made
by his strong power his prey.