Psalm 94

O Lord, God of ^[a]vengeance,
God of ^[b]vengeance, ^[c]shine forth!

The Lord is a God who avenges.
    O God who avenges, shine forth.

Rise up, O Judge of the earth,
Render recompense to the proud.

Rise up, Judge of the earth;
    pay back to the proud what they deserve.

How long shall the wicked, O Lord,
How long shall the wicked exult?

How long, Lord, will the wicked,
    how long will the wicked be jubilant?

They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly;
All who do wickedness vaunt themselves.

They pour out arrogant words;
    all the evildoers are full of boasting.

They crush Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.

They crush your people, Lord;
    they oppress your inheritance.

They slay the widow and the ^[d]stranger
And murder the orphans.

They slay the widow and the foreigner;
    they murder the fatherless.

They have said, “^[e]The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob pay heed.”

They say, ‘The Lord does not see;
    the God of Jacob takes no notice.’

Pay heed, you senseless among the people;
And when will you understand, stupid ones?

Take notice, you senseless ones among the people;
    you fools, when will you become wise?

He who planted the ear, ^[f]does He not hear?
He who formed the eye, ^[g]does He not see?

Does he who fashioned the ear not hear?
    Does he who formed the eye not see?

He who ^[h]chastens the nations, will He not rebuke,
Even He who teaches man knowledge?

Does he who disciplines nations not punish?
    Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge?

The Lord knows the thoughts of man,
^[i]That they are a mere breath.

The Lord knows all human plans;
    he knows that they are futile.

Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O ^[j]Lord,
And whom You teach out of Your law;

Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord,
    the one you teach from your law;

That You may grant him relief from the days of adversity,
Until a pit is dug for the wicked.

you grant them relief from days of trouble,
    till a pit is dug for the wicked.

For the Lord will not abandon His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

For the Lord will not reject his people;
    he will never forsake his inheritance.

For ^[k]judgment ^[l]will again be righteous,
And all the upright in heart ^[m]will follow it.

Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,
    and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
Who will take his stand for me against those who do wickedness?

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

If the Lord had not been my help,
My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

Unless the Lord had given me help,
    I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.

If I should say, “My foot has slipped,”
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up.

When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’
    your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.

When my anxious thoughts ^[n]multiply within me,
Your consolations delight my soul.

When anxiety was great within me,
    your consolation brought me joy.

Can a ^[o]throne of destruction be allied with You,
One which devises ^[p]mischief by decree?

Can a corrupt throne be allied with you –
    a throne that brings on misery by its decrees?

They band themselves together against the ^[q]life of the righteous
And condemn ^[r]the innocent to death.

The wicked band together against the righteous
    and condemn the innocent to death.

But the Lord has been my stronghold,
And my God the rock of my refuge.

But the Lord has become my fortress,
    and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.

He has brought back their wickedness upon them
And will ^[s]destroy them in their evil;
The Lord our God will ^[t]destroy them.