Psalms 94
1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself.
Yahweh, you are able to get revenge [on your enemies]. [So] show them that you are going to punish them!
2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.
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.
3 LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
Yahweh, how long will those wicked [people] be glad/happy? It is not right that [RHQ] they continue being glad!
4 [How long] shall they utter [and] speak hard things? [and] all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
They do evil things, and they boast about doing them; how long will they [be allowed to] continue doing that?
5 They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thy heritage.
Yahweh, [it is as though] those wicked people crush [us], your people; they (oppress/treat cruelly) those who belong to you [DOU].
6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
They murder widows and orphans and people from other countries who [think it is safe to] live in our land.
7 Yet they say, The LORD will not see, neither will the God of Jacob regard [it].
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].”
8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and [ye] fools, when will ye be wise?
You evil people [who rule Israel], you are foolish and stupid; when will you become wise [RHQ]?
9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
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]?
10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall he not correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, [shall he not know]?
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]?
11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they [are] vanity.
Yahweh knows [everything] that people are thinking; he knows that what they think ([is useless/vanishes as quickly as]) smoke [MET].
12 Blessed [is] the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
Yahweh, you are pleased with people who [want you to] discipline/correct them, those who [want you to] teach them your laws.
13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.
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].
14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
Yahweh will not abandon his people; he will not desert like that those who belong to him [DOU].
15 But judgment shall return to righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
[Some day] judges will decide matters fairly for people, and all honest/righteous people will be pleased about that.
16 Who will rise up for me against the evil-doers? [or] who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
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].
17 Unless the LORD [had been] my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
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.
18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
I said/thought [to myself], “I am about to die,” but Yahweh, you held me up by faithfully loving me.
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul.
Whenever I am very worried, you comfort/encourage me and cause me to be happy.
20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?
You have nothing to do with wicked judges, who establish laws that allow people to do what is not legal.
21 They assemble themselves against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
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.
22 But the LORD is my defense; and my God [is] the rock of my refuge.
But Yahweh (has become [like] my fortress/protects me) [MET]; my God is [like a huge] rock under which I am protected/safe [MET].
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.
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).
