Psalms 94

1 A Psalm of David for the fourth [day] of the week. The Lord is a God of vengeance; the God of vengeance has declared himself.

LORD, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out.

2 Be you exalted, you that judge the earth: render a reward to the proud.

Rise up, you judge of the earth. Pay back the proud what they deserve.

3 How long shall sinners, O Lord, how long shall sinners boast?

LORD, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?

4 They will utter and speak unrighteousness; all the workers of iniquity will speak [so].

They pour out arrogant words. All the evildoers boast.

5 They have afflicted your people, O Lord, and hurt your heritage.

They break your people in pieces, LORD, and afflict your heritage.

6 They have slain the widow and fatherless, and murdered the stranger.

They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless.

7 And they said, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob understand.

They say, “The LORD will not see, neither will Jacob’s God consider.”

8 Understand now, you simple amongst the people; and you fools, at length be wise.

Consider, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you be wise?

9 He that planted the ear, does he not hear? or he that formed the eye, does not he perceive?

He who implanted the ear, will not he hear? He who formed the eye, will not he see?

10 He that chastises the heathen, shall not he punish, [even] he that teaches man knowledge?

He who disciplines the nations, will not he punish? He who teaches man knows.

11 The Lord knows the thoughts of men, that they are vain.

The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.

12 Blessed is the man whoever you shall chasten, O Lord, and shall teach him out of your law;

Blessed is the man whom you discipline, LORD, and teach out of your law,

13 to give him rest from evil days, until a pit be digged for the sinful one.

that you may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked.

14 For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance;

For the LORD will not reject his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

15 until righteousness return to judgement, and all the upright in heart shall follow it. (Pause)

For judgment will return to righteousness. All the upright in heart shall follow it.

16 Who will rise up for me against the transgressors? or who will stand up with me against the workers of iniquity?

Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?

17 If the Lord had not helped me, my soul had almost sojourned in Hades.

Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.

18 If I said, My foot has been moved;

When I said, “My foot is slipping!” Your loving kindness, LORD, held me up.

19 your mercy, O Lord, helped me. O Lord, according to the multitude of my griefs within my heart, your consolation have soothed my soul.

In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul.

20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with you, which frames mischief by an ordinance?

Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?

21 They will hunt for the soul of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.

They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

22 But the Lord was my refuge; and my God the helper of my hope.

But the LORD has been my high tower, my God, the rock of my refuge.

23 And he will recompense to them their iniquity and their wickedness: the Lord our God shall utterly destroy them.

He has brought on them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness. The LORD, our God, will cut them off.