Psalm 94

The Voice

⁴ Arrogance pours from their mouths;
    all these troublemakers brag of their exploits.
⁵ They have broken Your people to pieces, O Eternal One,
    and brought ruin to Your future generations.
⁶ They slay a widow, kill a newcomer,
    and murder an orphan.
⁷ Then they say, “The Eternal can’t see what we’re up to;
    the God of Jacob’s people pays no attention to us.”

⁸ Think, brainless people;
    stupid people, when will you get it?
⁹ Does the God who set the ear in its place not hear?
    Does the God who made the eye not see?
¹⁰ Does the God who teaches the nations
    and guides humanity to knowledge,
    not exercise just correction?
¹¹ The Eternal knows the highest thoughts of the wise,
    and they are worthless.^[a]

¹² How fortunate are those You discipline, O Eternal One,
    those You train by Your divine law;
¹³ You relieve them in times of distress,
    until a grave is dug for evildoers.
¹⁴ The Eternal will not abandon His people;
    He will not turn away from those He redeemed
¹⁵ Because justice is coming for those who do what is right
    and all the good-hearted will pursue it.

¹⁶ Who will back me up when evildoers come against me?
    Who is willing to take my side against the wicked?
¹⁷ If the Eternal had not come to my rescue,
    my soul would have descended to the land where death silences every voice.
¹⁸ When I said, “My foot is slipping!”
    Your unfailing love, O Eternal One, held me up.
¹⁹ When anxiety overtakes me and worries are many,
    Your comfort lightens my soul.
²⁰ Can wicked tyrants be Your allies?
    Will You align with rulers who create havoc with unjust decrees?
²¹ They have joined forces against the life of the just-living, the right-seeking,
    and have sentenced the innocent to death.
²² But the Eternal has been my citadel;
    my God, a sure safe haven.
²³ He will fold their wickedness back upon them,
    and because they are malicious, He will silence them.
    The Eternal, our True God, will scatter them.