Psalms 94
1 Yahweh, you are able to get revenge [on your enemies]. [So] show them that you are going to punish them!
The Lord is a God of vengeance! God of vengeance, shine out!
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.
Stand up, judge of the earth, and pay back those who are proud what they deserve.
3 Yahweh, how long will those wicked [people] be glad/happy? It is not right that [RHQ] they continue being glad!
How long, Lord? How long will the wicked celebrate in triumph?
4 They do evil things, and they boast about doing them; how long will they [be allowed to] continue doing that?
How long will you let them pour out their arrogant words? How long will these evil people go on boasting?
5 Yahweh, [it is as though] those wicked people crush [us], your people; they (oppress/treat cruelly) those who belong to you [DOU].
Lord, they crush your people; they oppress those you call your own.
6 They murder widows and orphans and people from other countries who [think it is safe to] live in our land.
They kill widows and foreigners; they murder orphans.
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].”
They say, “The Lord can't see what we're doing. Israel's God doesn't pay any attention to us.”
8 You evil people [who rule Israel], you are foolish and stupid; when will you become wise [RHQ]?
Take another look, you stupid people! Fools—when will you ever get the point?
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]?
Do you think the creator of the ear can't hear? Do you think the maker of the eye can't 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]?
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?
11 Yahweh knows [everything] that people are thinking; he knows that what they think ([is useless/vanishes as quickly as]) smoke [MET].
The Lord knows the thoughts of human beings—he knows they are pointless.
12 Yahweh, you are pleased with people who [want you to] discipline/correct them, those who [want you to] teach them your laws.
Those you discipline are happy, Lord; those you teach from your 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].
You give them peace in days of trouble, until a pit is dug to trap the wicked.
14 Yahweh will not abandon his people; he will not desert like that those who belong to him [DOU].
For the Lord will not give up on his people; he will not abandon his own.
15 [Some day] judges will decide matters fairly for people, and all honest/righteous people will be pleased about that.
Justice will once again be based on what is right; those who are sincere will support 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 came to my defense against the wicked; who stood up for me against those who do evil?
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 the Lord hadn't helped me, I would have soon gone down into the silence of the grave.
18 I said/thought [to myself], “I am about to die,” but Yahweh, you held me up by faithfully loving me.
I shouted out, “My foot's slipping!” and your trustworthy love, Lord, kept me from falling.
19 Whenever I am very worried, you comfort/encourage me and cause me to be happy.
When my mind was full of worries, you comforted me and encouraged me.
20 You have nothing to do with wicked judges, who establish laws that allow people to do what is not legal.
Can unjust judges really be on your side, Lord, when their corrupt use of the law causes misery?
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 work together to destroy good people; they condemn those who are innocent to death.
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 the Lord protects me like a fortress; my God is the rock that keeps me safe.
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).
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.
