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94 God of vengeance, Adonai!
God of vengeance, appear!
Assert yourself as judge of the earth!
Pay back the proud as they deserve!

How long are the wicked, Adonai,
how long are the wicked to triumph?
They pour out insolent words,
they go on bragging, all these evildoers.

They crush your people, Adonai,
they oppress your heritage.
They kill widows and strangers
and murder the fatherless.

They say, “Yah isn’t looking;
the God of Ya‘akov won’t notice.”
Take notice, yourselves, you boors among the people!
You fools, when will you understand?
Will the one who planted the ear not hear?
Will the one who formed the eye not see?
10 Will the one who disciplines nations not correct them?
Will the teacher of humanity not know?
11 Adonai understands that people’s thoughts
are merely a puff of wind.

12 How happy the man whom you correct, Yah,
whom you teach from your Torah,
13 giving him respite from days of trouble,
till a pit is dug for the wicked!
14 For Adonai will not desert his people,
he will not abandon his heritage.
15 Justice will once again become righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 Who will champion my cause against the wicked?
Who will stand up for me against evildoers?

17 If Adonai hadn’t helped me,
I would soon have dwelt in the land of silence.
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping!”
your grace, Adonai, supported me.
19 When my cares within me are many,
your comforts cheer me up.

20 Can unjust judges be allied with you,
those producing wrong in the name of law?
21 They band together against the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.

22 But Adonai has become my stronghold,
my God is my rock of refuge.
23 But he repays them as their guilt deserves;
he will cut them off with their own evil;
Adonai our God will cut them off.

Psalm 94

The Just Judge

Lord, God of vengeance—
God of vengeance, appear.(A)
Rise up, Judge of the earth;
repay the proud what they deserve.(B)
Lord, how long will the wicked—
how long will the wicked gloat?(C)

They pour out arrogant words;
all the evildoers boast.(D)
Lord, they crush Your people;
they afflict Your heritage.(E)
They kill the widow and the foreigner
and murder the fatherless.(F)
They say, “The Lord doesn’t see it.
The God of Jacob doesn’t pay attention.”(G)

Pay attention, you stupid people!
Fools, when will you be wise?(H)
Can the One who shaped the ear not hear,
the One who formed the eye not see?(I)
10 The One who instructs nations,
the One who teaches man knowledge—
does He not discipline?(J)
11 The Lord knows man’s thoughts;
they are meaningless.(K)

12 Lord, happy is the man You discipline
and teach from Your law(L)
13 to give him relief from troubled times
until a pit is dug for the wicked.(M)
14 The Lord will not forsake His people
or abandon His heritage,(N)
15 for justice will again be righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow[a] it.(O)

16 Who stands up for me against the wicked?
Who takes a stand for me against evildoers?(P)
17 If the Lord had not been my helper,
I would soon rest in the silence of death.(Q)
18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,”
Your faithful love will support me, Lord.(R)
19 When I am filled with cares,
Your comfort brings me joy.(S)

20 Can a corrupt throne—
one that creates trouble by law—
become Your ally?(T)
21 They band together against the life of the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.(U)
22 But the Lord is my refuge;
my God is the rock of my protection.(V)
23 He will pay them back for their sins
and destroy them for their evil.
The Lord our God will destroy them.(W)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 94:15 Or heart will support; lit heart after