Psalms 94

1 O LORD, Thou God to whom vengeance belongeth, Thou God to whom vengeance belongeth, shine forth.

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 to the proud their recompense.

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 exult?

Yahweh, how long will those wicked [people] be glad/happy? It is not right that [RHQ] they continue being glad!

4 They gush out, they speak arrogancy; all the workers of iniquity bear themselves loftily.

They do evil things, and they boast about doing them; how long will they [be allowed to] continue doing that?

5 They crush 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 And they say: 'The LORD will not see, neither will the God of Jacob give heed.'

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 Consider, ye brutish among the people; and ye fools, when will ye understand?

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 instructeth nations, shall not He correct? even He that teacheth man knowledge?

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 Happy is the man whom Thou instructest, O LORD, and teachest 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 evil, 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 For right shall return unto justice, 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? 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 soon 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 If I say: 'My foot slippeth', Thy mercy, O LORD, holdeth me up.

I said/thought [to myself], “I am about to die,” but Yahweh, you held me up by faithfully loving me.

19 When my cares are many 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 seat of wickedness have fellowship with Thee, which frameth mischief by statute?

You have nothing to do with wicked judges, who establish laws that allow people to do what is not legal.

21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn 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 hath been my high tower, and my God 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 hath brought upon them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own evil; 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).