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.

94 O Lord, God of vengeance,
O God of vengeance, appear!
Arise, O Judge of the earth.
Give arrogant people what they deserve.
How long, O Lord, will wicked people triumph?
How long?

They ramble.
They speak arrogantly.
All troublemakers brag about themselves.
They crush your people, O Lord.
They make those who belong to you suffer.
They kill widows and foreigners, and they murder orphans.
They say, “The Lord doesn’t see it.
The God of Jacob doesn’t even pay attention to it.”

Pay attention, you stupid people!
When will you become wise, you fools?
God created ears.
Do you think he can’t hear?
He formed eyes.
Do you think he can’t see?
10 He disciplines nations.
Do you think he can’t punish?
He teaches people.
Do you think he doesn’t know anything?
11 The Lord knows that people’s thoughts are pointless.

12 O Lord, blessed is the person
whom you discipline and instruct from your teachings.
13 You give him peace and quiet from times of trouble
while a pit is dug to trap wicked people.

14 The Lord will never desert his people
or abandon those who belong to him.
15 The decisions of judges will again become fair,
and everyone whose motives are decent will pursue justice.

16 Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
Who will stand by my side against troublemakers?
17 If the Lord had not come to help me,
my soul would have quickly fallen silent ⌞in death⌟.

18 When I said, “My feet are slipping,”
your mercy, O Lord, continued to hold me up.
19 When I worried about many things,
your assuring words soothed my soul.

20 Are wicked rulers who use the law to do unlawful things
able to be your partners?
21 They join forces to take the lives of righteous people.
They condemn innocent people to death.
22 The Lord has become my stronghold.
My God has become my rock of refuge.
23 He has turned their own wickedness against them.
He will destroy them because of their sins.
The Lord our God will destroy them.

94 Dieu des vengeances, Éternel! Dieu des vengeances, parais!

Lève-toi, juge de la terre! Rends aux superbes selon leurs oeuvres!

Jusques à quand les méchants, ô Éternel! Jusques à quand les méchants triompheront-ils?

Ils discourent, ils parlent avec arrogance; Tous ceux qui font le mal se glorifient.

Éternel! ils écrasent ton peuple, Ils oppriment ton héritage;

Ils égorgent la veuve et l'étranger, Ils assassinent les orphelins.

Et ils disent: L'Éternel ne regarde pas, Le Dieu de Jacob ne fait pas attention!

Prenez-y garde, hommes stupides! Insensés, quand serez-vous sages?

Celui qui a planté l'oreille n'entendrait-il pas? Celui qui a formé l'oeil ne verrait-il pas?

10 Celui qui châtie les nations ne punirait-il point, Lui qui donne à l'homme l'intelligence?

11 L'Éternel connaît les pensées de l'homme, Il sait qu'elles sont vaines.

12 Heureux l'homme que tu châties, ô Éternel! Et que tu instruis par ta loi,

13 Pour le calmer aux jours du malheur, Jusqu'à ce que la fosse soit creusée pour le méchant!

14 Car l'Éternel ne délaisse pas son peuple, Il n'abandonne pas son héritage;

15 Car le jugement sera conforme à la justice, Et tous ceux dont le coeur est droit l'approuveront.

16 Qui se lèvera pour moi contre les méchants? Qui me soutiendra contre ceux qui font le mal?

17 Si l'Éternel n'était pas mon secours, Mon âme serait bien vite dans la demeure du silence.

18 Quand je dis: Mon pied chancelle! Ta bonté, ô Éternel! me sert d'appui.

19 Quand les pensées s'agitent en foule au dedans de moi, Tes consolations réjouissent mon âme.

20 Les méchants te feraient-ils siéger sur leur trône, Eux qui forment des desseins iniques en dépit de la loi?

21 Ils se rassemblent contre la vie du juste, Et ils condamnent le sang innocent.

22 Mais l'Éternel est ma retraite, Mon Dieu est le rocher de mon refuge.

23 Il fera retomber sur eux leur iniquité, Il les anéantira par leur méchanceté; L'Éternel, notre Dieu, les anéantira.

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