Psalms 94

1 Lord, God of vengeance, God of vengeance, shine forth.

O God, in whose hands is punishment, O God of punishment, let your shining face be seen.

2 Rise up, judge of the earth, pay back the proud what they deserve.

Be lifted up, O judge of the earth; let their reward come to the men of pride.

3 Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult,

How long will sinners, O Lord, how long will sinners have joy over us?

4 with their blustering arrogant words, their braggart and wicked speech,

Words of pride come from their lips; all the workers of evil say great things of themselves.

5 crushing your people, Lord, and afflicting your heritage,

Your people are crushed by them, O Lord, your heritage is troubled,

6 murdering widows and strangers, slaying the fatherless?

They put to death the widow and the guest, they take the lives of children who have no father;

7 They think that the Lord does not see, nor the God of Jacob regard it.

And they say, Jah will not see it, the God of Jacob will not give thought to it.

8 Take heed, you dullest of people; when will you be wise, you fools?

Give your mind to my words, you who are without wisdom among the people; you foolish men, when will you be wise?

9 Is he deaf, who shaped the ear? Is he blind, who fashioned the eye?

Has he by whom your ears were planted no hearing? or is he blind by whom your eyes were formed?

10 Can he who trains nations not punish them he who teaches knowledge to people?

He who is the judge of the nations, will he not give men the reward of their acts, even he who gives knowledge to man?

11 The Lord knows the thoughts of people, that only a breath are they.

The Lord has knowledge of the thoughts of man, for they are only a breath.

12 Happy are those whom you chasten, and teach out of your law,

Happy is the man who is guided by you, O Jah, and to whom you give teaching out of your law;

13 keeping them calm in the day of misfortune, till a pit be dug for the wicked.

So that you may give him rest from the days of evil, till a hole is made ready for the destruction of the sinners.

14 For the Lord will not leave his people, he will not forsake his inheritance.

The Lord will not give up his people, or take away his support from his heritage;

15 For the righteous shall come to their rights, and all true-hearted people shall follow them.

But decisions will again be made in righteousness; and they will be kept by all whose hearts are true.

16 Who will rise up for me against those who do evil? Who will stand up for me against workers of wrong?

Who will give me help against the sinners? and who will be my support against the workers of evil?

17 Were it not for the help of the Lord, I would soon have gone to the silent grave.

If the Lord had not been my helper, my soul would quickly have gone down into death.

18 When I thought that my foot was slipping, your kindness, Lord, held me up.

If I say, My foot is slipping; your mercy, O Lord, is my support.

19 When with cares my heart was crowded, your comforts make me glad.

Among all my troubled thoughts, your comforts are the delight of my soul.

20 Can corrupt justice be your ally, framing mischief by statute?

What part with you has the seat of sin, which makes evil into a law?

21 They assail the life of the righteous, and innocent blood condemn.

They are banded together against the soul of the upright, to give decisions against those who have done no wrong.

22 But the Lord is my sure retreat, my God is the rock of my refuge.

But the Lord is my safe resting-place; my God is the Rock where I am safe.

23 He will bring back their sin upon them, for their wickedness he will destroy them; the Lord our God will destroy them.

And he has made their evil designs come back on themselves, cutting them off in their sin; the Lord our God will put an end to them.