The Lord Implored to Avenge His People.

94 Lord, God of [a](A)vengeance,
God of [b]vengeance, [c](B)shine forth!
(C)Rise up, (D)Judge of the earth,
Pay back retribution (E)to the proud.
How long, Lord, shall the wicked—
How long shall the (F)wicked triumph?
They pour out words, they (G)speak arrogantly;
All who do injustice (H)boast.
They (I)crush Your people, Lord,
And (J)afflict Your inheritance.
They (K)kill the widow and the stranger
And murder the orphans.
(L)They have said, “[d]The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob perceive.”

Pay attention, you (M)stupid ones among the people;
And when will you understand, (N)foolish ones?
He who (O)planted the ear, [e]does He not hear?
Or He who formed the eye, [f]does He not see?
10 He who [g](P)disciplines the nations, will He not rebuke,
He who (Q)teaches mankind knowledge?
11 The Lord (R)knows human thoughts,
[h]That they are mere breath.

12 Blessed is the man whom (S)You discipline, [i]Lord,
And (T)whom You teach from Your Law,
13 So that You may grant him (U)relief from the (V)days of adversity,
Until (W)a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For (X)the Lord will not abandon His people,
Nor will He (Y)abandon His inheritance.
15 For [j](Z)judgment [k]will again be righteous,
And all the upright in heart [l]will follow it.
16 Who will (AA)stand up for me against evildoers?
Who will take his stand for me (AB)against those who do injustice?

17 If (AC)the Lord had not been my help,
My soul would soon have dwelt in the land of silence.
18 If I should say, “(AD)My foot has slipped,”
Your faithfulness, Lord, will support me.
19 When my anxious thoughts [m]multiply within me,
Your (AE)comfort delights my soul.
20 Can a [n](AF)throne of destruction be allied with You,
One (AG)which devises [o]mischief by decree?
21 They (AH)band themselves together against the [p]life of the righteous
And (AI)condemn [q]the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord has been my (AJ)refuge,
And my God the (AK)rock of my refuge.
23 He has (AL)brought back their injustice upon them,
And He will [r](AM)destroy them in their evil;
The Lord our God will [s]destroy them.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 94:1 Or avenging acts
  2. Psalm 94:1 Or avenging acts
  3. Psalm 94:1 Or has shone forth
  4. Psalm 94:7 Heb Yah
  5. Psalm 94:9 Or can
  6. Psalm 94:9 Or can
  7. Psalm 94:10 Or instructs
  8. Psalm 94:11 Or For
  9. Psalm 94:12 Heb Yah
  10. Psalm 94:15 I.e., administration of justice
  11. Psalm 94:15 Lit will return to righteousness
  12. Psalm 94:15 Lit will be after it
  13. Psalm 94:19 Or are many
  14. Psalm 94:20 Or tribunal
  15. Psalm 94:20 Or trouble, misfortune
  16. Psalm 94:21 Or soul
  17. Psalm 94:21 Lit innocent blood
  18. Psalm 94:23 Or silence
  19. Psalm 94:23 Or silence

God the Refuge of the Righteous

94 O Lord God, (A)to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
Rise up, O (B)Judge of the earth;
[a]Render punishment to the proud.
Lord, (C)how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?

They (D)utter speech, and speak insolent things;
All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
They break in pieces Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.
They slay the widow and the stranger,
And murder the fatherless.
(E)Yet they say, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob [b]understand.”

Understand, you senseless among the people;
And you fools, when will you be wise?
(F)He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
10 He who [c]instructs the [d]nations, shall He not correct,
He who teaches man knowledge?
11 The Lord (G)knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.

12 Blessed is the man whom You (H)instruct, O Lord,
And teach out of Your law,
13 That You may give him [e]rest from the days of adversity,
Until the pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not [f]cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
15 But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the Lord had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.
18 If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.
19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.

20 Shall (I)the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law,
Have fellowship with You?
21 They gather together against the life of the righteous,
And condemn (J)innocent blood.
22 But the Lord has been my defense,
And my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He has brought on them their own iniquity,
And shall [g]cut them off in their own wickedness;
The Lord our God shall cut them off.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 94:2 Repay with
  2. Psalm 94:7 pay attention
  3. Psalm 94:10 disciplines
  4. Psalm 94:10 Gentiles
  5. Psalm 94:13 relief
  6. Psalm 94:14 abandon
  7. Psalm 94:23 destroy them