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God judges all people

94 Lord, you are the God
    who punishes guilty people.
God, show your power
    to punish people as they deserve![a]
Judge of all people on the earth, do something!
    Punish proud people as they deserve!
How long will wicked people continue to be happy?
    Yes, Lord, how long?
Those people who do evil things
    speak many proud words.
They boast about how great they are.
Lord, see how they hurt your own people.
    They are cruel to the people that belong to you.
They kill widows
    and foreign people who live in our land.
They murder children that have no family.
They say, ‘The Lord does not see us.
    Israel's God does not see what we are doing.’
Think again, all you fools among the people!
    Stupid people, become wise!
God made our ears!
    Can he himself not hear?
He made our eyes!
    Does he not see?
10 He teaches the nations what is right.
Will he not punish you,
    when you do what is wrong?
He teaches people what they should know.
11 The Lord knows what people think.
    He knows that their thoughts are empty.
12 Lord, when you teach people what is right,
    you have really blessed them.
You use your Law to teach them.
13 When those people have troubles,
    you keep them safe.
Then the wicked people fall into a deep hole
    that you have dug to catch them.
14 The Lord will not leave his people alone.
    He will not forget to help the people that belong to him.
15 Once again, judges will do what is right and fair,
    and good, honest people will agree.
16 Who would fight for me
    against the wicked people?[b]
Who would keep me safe
    from the people who do evil things?
17 Unless the Lord had helped me,
    I would soon have become silent in death.
18 When I think, ‘I am falling down,’
    your faithful love keeps me safe, Lord.
19 When I have troubles in my mind,
    so that I am afraid,
you help me to be happy again.
20 You will not become a friend of cruel rulers.
    They make laws that only hurt people.
21 They join together to work against good people.
They say that people are guilty
    who have done nothing wrong.
They say that they must die.
22 But the Lord is a strong place for me.
Yes, my God is a rock
    where I can hide and be safe.
23 He will punish those wicked leaders.
He will destroy them,
    because they do evil things.
The Lord our God will completely destroy them.

Footnotes

  1. 94:1 The writer asks God to punish wicked people. He trusts that God will do what is right, as the great judge.
  2. 94:16 Now the writer thinks about himself. The Lord God is the only one who can really help him when he is in trouble.

Psalm 94

The Lord is a God who avenges.(A)
    O God who avenges, shine forth.(B)
Rise up,(C) Judge(D) of the earth;
    pay back(E) to the proud what they deserve.
How long, Lord, will the wicked,
    how long will the wicked be jubilant?(F)

They pour out arrogant(G) words;
    all the evildoers are full of boasting.(H)
They crush your people,(I) Lord;
    they oppress your inheritance.(J)
They slay the widow(K) and the foreigner;
    they murder the fatherless.(L)
They say, “The Lord does not see;(M)
    the God of Jacob(N) takes no notice.”

Take notice, you senseless ones(O) among the people;
    you fools, when will you become wise?
Does he who fashioned the ear not hear?
    Does he who formed the eye not see?(P)
10 Does he who disciplines(Q) nations not punish?
    Does he who teaches(R) mankind lack knowledge?
11 The Lord knows all human plans;(S)
    he knows that they are futile.(T)

12 Blessed is the one you discipline,(U) Lord,
    the one you teach(V) from your law;
13 you grant them relief from days of trouble,(W)
    till a pit(X) is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not reject his people;(Y)
    he will never forsake his inheritance.
15 Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,(Z)
    and all the upright in heart(AA) will follow it.

16 Who will rise up(AB) for me against the wicked?
    Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?(AC)
17 Unless the Lord had given me help,(AD)
    I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.(AE)
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping,(AF)
    your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
19 When anxiety(AG) was great within me,
    your consolation(AH) brought me joy.

20 Can a corrupt throne(AI) be allied with you—
    a throne that brings on misery by its decrees?(AJ)
21 The wicked band together(AK) against the righteous
    and condemn the innocent(AL) to death.(AM)
22 But the Lord has become my fortress,
    and my God the rock(AN) in whom I take refuge.(AO)
23 He will repay(AP) them for their sins
    and destroy(AQ) them for their wickedness;
    the Lord our God will destroy them.