Psalms 94
1 Yahweh, you are able to get revenge [on your enemies]. [So] show them that you are going to punish them!
O God of vengeances, Jehovah, God of vengeances, shine forth;
2 You are the one who judges all [people on] the earth; [so] arise, and give/punish the proud [leaders of our] people like they deserve.
Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth, render the reward to the proud.
3 Yahweh, how long will those wicked [people] be glad/happy? It is not right that [RHQ] they continue being glad!
How long shall the wicked, O Jehovah, how long shall the wicked triumph?
4 They do evil things, and they boast about doing them; how long will they [be allowed to] continue doing that?
[How long] shall they utter [and] speak insolence — all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
5 Yahweh, [it is as though] those wicked people crush [us], your people; they (oppress/treat cruelly) those who belong to you [DOU].
They crush thy people, O Jehovah, and afflict thine inheritance;
6 They murder widows and orphans and people from other countries who [think it is safe to] live in our land.
They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless,
7 Those wicked people say, “Yahweh does not see anything; [so] the God whom those Israelis [worship] does not see [the evil things that we do].”
And say, Jah will not see, neither will the God of Jacob regard [it].
8 You evil people [who rule Israel], you are foolish and stupid; when will you become wise [RHQ]?
Understand, ye brutish among the people; and ye fools, when will ye be wise?
9 God made our ears; so [do you think that] he cannot hear [what you say] [RHQ]? He created our eyes; so do you think that he cannot see [the evil things that you do] [RHQ]?
He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?
10 He also scolds [the leaders of other] nations; so do you think that he will not punish [you] [RHQ]? He is the one who knows everything; [so why do you think that he does not know what you do] [RHQ]?
He that instructeth the nations, shall not he correct — he that teacheth man knowledge?
11 Yahweh knows [everything] that people are thinking; he knows that what they think ([is useless/vanishes as quickly as]) smoke [MET].
Jehovah knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
12 Yahweh, you are pleased with people who [want you to] discipline/correct them, those who [want you to] teach them your laws.
Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Jah, and whom thou teachest out of thy law;
13 When those people have had troubles, you cause those troubles to cease, and some day [it will be as though] you will dig pits for wicked people, and they will fall into those pits [and die].
That thou mayest give him rest from the days of evil, until the pit be digged for the wicked.
14 Yahweh will not abandon his people; he will not desert like that those who belong to him [DOU].
For Jehovah will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance;
15 [Some day] judges will decide matters fairly for people, and all honest/righteous people will be pleased about that.
For judgment shall return unto righteousness, and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
16 But when wicked [people] ([oppressed me/treated me cruelly]), (who defended me?/no one defended me.) [RHQ] No one stood up to testify for me against those evil people [RHQ].
Who will rise up for me against the evil-doers? who will stand for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 If Yahweh had not helped me [at that time], [I would have been executed], [and] my soul/spirit would have gone to the place where [dead people] say nothing.
If Jehovah had not been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
18 I said/thought [to myself], “I am about to die,” but Yahweh, you held me up by faithfully loving me.
When I said, My foot slippeth, thy loving-kindness, O Jehovah, held me up.
19 Whenever I am very worried, you comfort/encourage me and cause me to be happy.
In the multitude of my anxious thoughts within me thy comforts have delighted my soul.
20 You have nothing to do with wicked judges, who establish laws that allow people to do what is not legal.
Shall the throne of wickedness be united to thee, which frameth mischief into a law?
21 They plan to get rid of righteous [people], and they declare that (innocent people/people who have not done what is wrong) must be executed.
They band together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.
22 But Yahweh (has become [like] my fortress/protects me) [MET]; my God is [like a huge] rock under which I am protected/safe [MET].
But Jehovah will be my high tower; and my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He will punish those wicked leaders in return for the wicked things that they have done, and will get rid of them for the sins that they have committed; [yes], Yahweh our God will (wipe them out/destroy them completely).
And he will bring upon them their iniquity, and will cut them off in their own evil: Jehovah our God will cut them off.
