Psalms 94
1 The Lord is a God of vengeance! God of vengeance, shine out!
O LORD! thou God of vengeance! O thou God of vengeance! shine forth!
2 Stand up, judge of the earth, and pay back those who are proud what they deserve.
Rouse thyself, thou judge of the earth! Render a recompense to the proud!
3 How long, Lord? How long will the wicked celebrate in triumph?
How long, O LORD! shall the wicked, How long shall the wicked triumph?
4 How long will you let them pour out their arrogant words? How long will these evil people go on boasting?
How long shall their lips pour forth insolence? How long shall all the evil-doers boast?
5 Lord, they crush your people; they oppress those you call your own.
O LORD! they trample upon thy people, And oppress thine inheritance!
6 They kill widows and foreigners; they murder orphans.
They slay the widow, and the stranger, And murder the fatherless;
7 They say, “The Lord can't see what we're doing. Israel's God doesn't pay any attention to us.”
And they say, “The LORD doth not see, The God of Jacob doth not regard!”
8 Take another look, you stupid people! Fools—when will you ever get the point?
Be instructed, ye most stupid of mankind! O when, ye fools, will ye be wise?
9 Do you think the creator of the ear can't hear? Do you think the maker of the eye can't see?
He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?
10 Do you think that the one who punishes nations won't punish you too? Do you think that the one who teaches human beings knowledge doesn't know anything?
He that chastiseth nations, shall not he punish? He that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?
11 The Lord knows the thoughts of human beings—he knows they are pointless.
The LORD knoweth the thoughts of men, That they are vanity.
12 Those you discipline are happy, Lord; those you teach from your Law.
Happy the man, O LORD! whom thou correctest, Whom by thy teaching thou makest wise;
13 You give them peace in days of trouble, until a pit is dug to trap the wicked.
To give him peace in the days of adversity, Until a pit be digged for the wicked!
14 For the Lord will not give up on his people; he will not abandon his own.
For the LORD will not forsake his people, Nor abandon his own inheritance.
15 Justice will once again be based on what is right; those who are sincere will support it.
For judgment shall return to justice, And all the upright in heart shall follow it.
16 Who came to my defense against the wicked; who stood up for me against those who do evil?
Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evil-doers?
17 If the Lord hadn't helped me, I would have soon gone down into the silence of the grave.
If the LORD had not been my help, I had well nigh dwelt in the land of silence.
18 I shouted out, “My foot's slipping!” and your trustworthy love, Lord, kept me from falling.
When I think that my foot is slipping, Thy goodness, O LORD! holdeth me up.
19 When my mind was full of worries, you comforted me and encouraged me.
In the multitude of anxieties within me, Thy consolations revive my soul.
20 Can unjust judges really be on your side, Lord, when their corrupt use of the law causes misery?
Shall with thee be allied the throne of iniquity, Which deviseth mischief against law?
21 They work together to destroy good people; they condemn those who are innocent to death.
They band together against the life of the righteous, And condemn innocent blood.
22 But the Lord protects me like a fortress; my God is the rock that keeps me safe.
But the LORD is my fortress, And my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He will turn the wickedness of evil people back upon them; he will destroy them because of their sins; the Lord our God will destroy them.
He will bring upon them their own iniquity; Yea, through their own wickedness he will cut them off; Yea, the LORD, our God, will cut them off.
