Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G MessageHe tells himself, 'God has forgotten all about it; He has turned His face away; He will never notice.'
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GHe says in his heart, 'El has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see.'
KJV
King James VersionHe hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
BSB
Berean Standard BibleHe says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”
Footnotes
The phrase הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו (histir panav, 'He hid His face') is one of the most theologically loaded expressions in the Hebrew Bible, denoting covenantal withdrawal — YHWH turning away from His people in judgement or distance (cf. Deut. 31:17; Ps. 27:9; Isa. 54:8). Devastatingly, the wicked man here weaponises Israel's own covenant theology, using the language of hester panim to justify his impunity. He turns the community's deepest fear — divine abandonment — into a licence for exploitation. This makes the psalmist's counter-declaration in v. 14 all the more powerful. FOG retains the divine name 'El' (אֵל) to distinguish it from YHWH and preserve the Hebrew texture; FOG Message uses 'God' for accessibility.
