Psalms 94
1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself.
A Psalm of David himself. The Fourth Sabbath. The Lord is the God of retribution. The God of retribution acts in order to deliver.
2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.
Lift yourself up, for you judge the earth. Repay the arrogant with retribution.
3 LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
How long will sinners, O Lord, how long will sinners glory?
4 [How long] shall they utter [and] speak hard things? [and] all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
How long will they utter and speak iniquity? How long will all who work injustice speak out?
5 They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thy heritage.
They have humiliated your people, O Lord, and they have harassed your inheritance.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
They have executed the widow and the new arrival, and they have slaughtered the orphan.
7 Yet they say, The LORD will not see, neither will the God of Jacob regard [it].
And they have said, “The Lord will not see, nor will the God of Jacob understand.”
8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and [ye] fools, when will ye be wise?
Understand, you senseless ones among the people. And be wise at last, you foolish ones.
9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
He who formed the ear, will he not hear? And he who forged the eye, does he not look closely?
10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall he not correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, [shall he not know]?
He who chastises nations, he who teaches man knowledge, will he not rebuke?
11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they [are] vanity.
The Lord knows the thoughts of men: that these are in vain.
12 Blessed [is] the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
Blessed is the man whom you will instruct, O Lord. And you will teach him from your law.
13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.
So may you soothe him from the evil days, until a pit may be dug for sinners.
14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
For the Lord will not drive away his people, and he will not abandon his inheritance,
15 But judgment shall return to righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
even until the time when justice is being converted into judgment, and when those who are close to justice are all those who are upright of heart.
16 Who will rise up for me against the evil-doers? [or] who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
Who will rise up with me against the malignant? Or who will stand with me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the LORD [had been] my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
Except that the Lord assisted me, my soul almost would have dwelt in Hell. (questioned)
18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
If ever I said, “My foot is slipping,” then your mercy, O Lord, assisted me.
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul.
According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, your consolations have given joy to my soul.
20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?
Does the seat of iniquity adhere to you, you who contrive hardship within a commandment?
21 They assemble themselves against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
They will hunt down the soul of the just, and they will condemn innocent blood.
22 But the LORD is my defense; and my God [is] the rock of my refuge.
And the Lord has been made into a refuge for me, and my God into the assistance of my hope.
23 And he will bring upon them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness; [yes], the LORD our God will cut them off.
And he will repay them their iniquity, and he will destroy them in their malice. The Lord our God will utterly destroy them.
