< Psalms 94 >
1 LORD, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out.
A Psalm of David for the fourth [day] of the week. The Lord is a God of vengeance; the God of vengeance has declared himself.
2 Rise up, you judge of the earth. Pay back the proud what they deserve.
Be you exalted, you that judge the earth: render a reward to the proud.
3 LORD, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?
How long shall sinners, O Lord, how long shall sinners boast?
4 They pour out arrogant words. All the evildoers boast.
They will utter and speak unrighteousness; all the workers of iniquity will speak [so].
5 They break your people in pieces, LORD, and afflict your heritage.
They have afflicted your people, O Lord, and hurt your heritage.
6 They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless.
They have slain the widow and fatherless, and murdered the stranger.
7 They say, “The LORD will not see, neither will Jacob’s God consider.”
And they said, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob understand.
8 Consider, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you be wise?
Understand now, you simple amongst the people; and you fools, at length be wise.
9 He who implanted the ear, will not he hear? He who formed the eye, will not he see?
He that planted the ear, does he not hear? or he that formed the eye, does not he perceive?
10 He who disciplines the nations, will not he punish? He who teaches man knows.
He that chastises the heathen, shall not he punish, [even] he that teaches man knowledge?
11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.
The Lord knows the thoughts of men, that they are vain.
12 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, LORD, and teach out of your law,
Blessed is the man whoever you shall chasten, O Lord, and shall teach him out of your law;
13 that you may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked.
to give him rest from evil days, until a pit be digged for the sinful one.
14 For the LORD will not reject his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance;
15 For judgment will return to righteousness. All the upright in heart shall follow it.
until righteousness return to judgement, and all the upright in heart shall follow it. (Pause)
16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?
Who will rise up for me against the transgressors? or who will stand up with me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.
If the Lord had not helped me, my soul had almost sojourned in Hades.
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping!” Your loving kindness, LORD, held me up.
If I said, My foot has been moved;
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul.
your mercy, O Lord, helped me. O Lord, according to the multitude of my griefs within my heart, your consolation have soothed my soul.
20 Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?
Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with you, which frames mischief by an ordinance?
21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
They will hunt for the soul of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.
22 But the LORD has been my high tower, my God, the rock of my refuge.
But the Lord was my refuge; and my God the helper of my hope.
23 He has brought on them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness. The LORD, our God, will cut them off.
And he will recompense to them their iniquity and their wickedness: the Lord our God shall utterly destroy them.