Psalms 94

1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself.

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

2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.

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

3 LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

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

4 How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?

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

5 They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thy heritage.

crushing your people, Lord, and afflicting your heritage,

6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.

murdering widows and strangers, slaying the fatherless?

7 Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.

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

8 Understand, ye stupid among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?

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

9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

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

10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall he not correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know?

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

11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

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

12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;

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

13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked.

keeping them calm in the day of misfortune, till a pit be 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 leave his people, he will not forsake his inheritance.

15 But judgment shall return to righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.

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

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

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

17 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

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

18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.

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

19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

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

20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

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

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

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

22 But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

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

23 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.

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