Add parallel Print Page Options

God of Vengeance, Shine Forth

94 O Yahweh, God of [a](A)vengeance,
God of [b]vengeance, [c](B)shine forth!
(C)Be lifted up, O (D)Judge of the earth,
Render recompense (E)to the proud.
How long shall the wicked, O Yahweh,
How long shall the (F)wicked exult?
They pour forth words, they (G)speak arrogantly;
All workers of iniquity (H)vaunt themselves.
They (I)crush Your people, O Yahweh,
And (J)afflict Your inheritance.
They (K)slay the widow and the sojourner
And murder the orphans.
(L)They have said, “Yah does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob discern.”

Discern, you (M)senseless among the people;
And when will you have insight, (N)you fools?
He who (O)planted the ear, [d]does He not hear?
He who formed the eye, [e]does He not see?
10 He who [f](P)disciplines the nations, will He not rebuke,
Even He who (Q)teaches man knowledge?
11 Yahweh (R)knows the thoughts of man,
[g]That they are vanity.

12 Blessed is the man whom (S)You discipline, O Yah,
And (T)whom You teach out of Your law;
13 That You may grant him (U)calm from the (V)days of calamity,
Until (W)a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For (X)Yahweh will not abandon His people,
Nor will He (Y)forsake His inheritance.
15 For [h](Z)judgment will [i]again be righteous,
And all the upright in heart will [j]follow it.
16 Who will (AA)arise for me against evildoers?
Who will take his stand for me (AB)against workers of iniquity?

17 If (AC)Yahweh had not been my help,
My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.
18 If I should say, “(AD)My foot has stumbled,”
Your lovingkindness, O Yahweh, will hold me up.
19 When my anxious thoughts [k]multiply within me,
Your (AE)consolations delight my soul.
20 Can a [l](AF)throne of destruction be allied with You,
One (AG)which forms [m]trouble by statute?
21 They (AH)band themselves together against the [n]life of the righteous
And (AI)condemn [o]the innocent to death.
22 But Yahweh has been my (AJ)stronghold,
And my God the (AK)rock of my refuge.
23 He has (AL)brought back their [p]iniquity upon them
And will [q](AM)destroy them in their evil;
Yahweh our God will [r]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 94:9 Or can
  5. Psalm 94:9 Or can
  6. Psalm 94:10 Or instructs
  7. Psalm 94:11 Or For
  8. Psalm 94:15 Administration of justice
  9. Psalm 94:15 Lit return to righteousness
  10. Psalm 94:15 Lit be after it
  11. Psalm 94:19 Or are many
  12. Psalm 94:20 Or tribunal
  13. Psalm 94:20 Or misfortune
  14. Psalm 94:21 Or soul
  15. Psalm 94:21 Lit innocent blood
  16. Psalm 94:23 Or wickedness
  17. Psalm 94:23 Or silence
  18. Psalm 94:23 Or silence

Psalm 94

The Lord Rules the Wicked

A Call for Vengeance

O Lord, God of vengeance,
God of vengeance, shine forth.
Rise up, O Judge of the earth.
Repay the proud with what they deserve.
How long will the wicked, O Lord,
how long will the wicked celebrate?

The Deeds of the Wicked

They gush. They speak arrogantly.
All the evildoers brag about themselves.
They crush your people, O Lord.
They oppress the people that belong to you.
They kill the widow and the alien.
They murder the fatherless.
Then they say, “The Lord[a] does not see.
The God of Jacob does not understand.”
Understand, you brutes among the people.
You fools, when will you become wise?

Relief for the Righteous

The one who planted the ear—will he not hear?
The one who formed the eye—will he not observe?
10 The one who disciplines nations—will he not rebuke them?
He is the one who teaches mankind knowledge.
11 The Lord knows the thoughts of mankind.
He knows that they are just vapor.
12 How blessed is the person whom you discipline, O Lord,
whom you teach from your law.
13 You grant him rest in days of trouble,
until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not desert his people,
and he will never forsake those who are his own.
15 Then judgment will again be based on righteousness,
and all the upright in heart will pursue it.
16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?
17 Unless the Lord had been my helper,
my soul would soon have dwelt in silence.
18 When I said, “My foot has slipped,”
your mercy, Lord, upheld me.
19 When my worries within me were many,
your comfort brought joy to my soul.

20 Can a destructive throne be allied with you,
one that creates injustice by its decrees?
21 They band together against the life of the righteous,
and they condemn innocent blood.
22 But the Lord has become my fortress,
and my God is the rock where I take refuge.
23 Then he will repay them for their iniquity,
and he will destroy them for their wickedness.
The Lord our God will destroy them.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 94:7 The short form of the divine name, Yah, is used instead of the long form, Yahweh. Also in verse 12.