² O Lord, ^(A)how long shall I cry for help,
    and you will not hear?
Or cry to you ^(B)“Violence!”
    and you will not save?
^3 (C)Why do you make me see iniquity,
    and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction ^(D)and violence are before me;
    strife and contention arise.
^4 (E)So the law is paralyzed,
    and justice never goes forth.
^(F)For the wicked surround the righteous;
    so justice goes forth perverted.

¹³ You who are ^(A)of purer eyes than to see evil
    and cannot look at wrong,
^(B)why do you idly look at traitors
    and ^(C)remain silent when the wicked swallows up
    the man more righteous than he?

12 ^(A)Righteous are you, O Lord,
    when I complain to you;
    yet I would plead my case before you.
^(B)Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
    Why do all ^(C)who are treacherous thrive?
² You plant them, and they take root;
    they grow and produce fruit;
^(D)you are near in their mouth
    and far from their heart.
^3 (E)But you, O Lord, know me;
    ^(F)you see me, and test my heart toward you.
^(G)Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
    and set them apart for ^(H)the day of slaughter.
^4 (I)How long will the land mourn
    and the grass of every field wither?
^(J)For the evil of those who dwell in it
    ^(K)the beasts and the birds are swept away,
    because they said, “He will not see our latter end.”

13 ^(A)How long, O Lord? Will you ^(B)forget me forever?
    How long will you ^(C)hide your face from me?
² How long must I take ^(D)counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?