²⁴ The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, who else could it be?

⁶ Even when I remember I am terrified,
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
^7 (A)Why do the wicked live and become old,
Yes, become mighty in power?
⁸ Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
⁹ Their houses are safe from fear,
^(B)Neither is ^[a]the rod of God upon them.
¹⁰ Their bull breeds without failure;
Their cow calves ^(C)without miscarriage.
¹¹ They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
¹² They sing to the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
¹³ They ^(D)spend their days in wealth,
And ^[b]in a moment go down to the ^[c]grave.
^14 (E)Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
^15 (F)Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
And ^(G)what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
¹⁶ Indeed ^[d]their prosperity is not in their hand;
^(H)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

¹² Behold, these are the ungodly,
Who are always at ease;
They increase in riches.

12 Righteous ^(A)are You, O Lord, when I plead with You;
Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
^(B)Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?

¹⁵ So now ^(A)we call the proud blessed,
For those who do wickedness are ^[a]raised up;
They even ^(B)tempt God and go free.’ ”