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94 Yahweh, you God to whom vengeance belongs,
    you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out.
Rise up, you judge of the earth.
    Pay back the proud what they deserve.
Yahweh, how long will the wicked,
    how long will the wicked triumph?
They pour out arrogant words.
    All the evildoers boast.
They break your people in pieces, Yahweh,
    and afflict your heritage.
They kill the widow and the alien,
    and murder the fatherless.
They say, “Yah will not see,
    neither will Jacob’s God consider.”
Consider, you senseless among the people;
    you fools, when will you be wise?
He who implanted the ear, won’t he hear?
    He who formed the eye, won’t he see?
10 He who disciplines the nations, won’t he punish?
    He who teaches man knows.
11 Yahweh knows the thoughts of man,
    that they are futile.
12 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, Yah,
    and teach out of your law,
13 that you may give him rest from the days of adversity,
    until the pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For Yahweh won’t reject his people,
    neither will he forsake his inheritance.
15 For judgment will return to righteousness.
    All the upright in heart shall follow it.
16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked?
    Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?
17 Unless Yahweh had been my help,
    my soul would have soon lived in silence.
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping!”
    Your loving kindness, Yahweh, held me up.
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me,
    your comforts delight my soul.
20 Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you,
    which brings about mischief by statute?
21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous,
    and condemn the innocent blood.
22 But Yahweh has been my high tower,
    my God, the rock of my refuge.
23 He has brought on them their own iniquity,
    and will cut them off in their own wickedness.
    Yahweh, our God, will cut them off.

Psalm 94

The Just Judge

Lord, God of vengeance—
God of vengeance, shine!(A)
Rise up, Judge of the earth;
repay the proud what they deserve.(B)
Lord, how long will the wicked—
how long will the wicked celebrate?(C)

They pour out arrogant words;
all the evildoers boast.(D)
Lord, they crush your people;
they oppress your heritage.(E)
They kill the widow and the resident alien
and murder the fatherless.(F)
They say, “The Lord doesn’t see it.
The God of Jacob doesn’t pay attention.”(G)

Pay attention, you stupid people!
Fools, when will you be wise?(H)
Can the one who shaped the ear not hear,
the one who formed the eye not see?(I)
10 The one who instructs nations,
the one who teaches mankind knowledge—
does he not discipline?(J)
11 The Lord knows the thoughts of mankind;
they are futile.(K)

12 Lord, how happy is anyone you discipline
and teach from your law(L)
13 to give him relief from troubled times
until a pit is dug for the wicked.(M)
14 The Lord will not leave his people
or abandon his heritage,(N)
15 for the administration of justice will again be righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow[a] it.(O)

16 Who stands up for me against the wicked?
Who takes a stand for me against evildoers?(P)
17 If the Lord had not been my helper,
I would soon rest in the silence of death.(Q)
18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your faithful love will support me, Lord.(R)
19 When I am filled with cares,
your comfort brings me joy.(S)

20 Can a corrupt throne be your ally,
a throne that makes evil laws?(T)
21 They band together against the life of the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.(U)
22 But the Lord is my refuge;
my God is the rock of my protection.(V)
23 He will pay them back for their sins
and destroy them for their evil.
The Lord our God will destroy them.(W)

Footnotes

  1. 94:15 Or heart will support; lit heart after