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94 The Lord is a God who punishes people.
    God, come punish them.
You are the judge of the whole earth.
    Give proud people the punishment they deserve.
Lord, how long will the wicked have their fun?
    How much longer?
How much longer will those criminals
    brag about the evil they did?
Lord, they hurt your people
    and make them suffer.
They kill widows and foreigners living in our country.
    They murder orphans.
And they say the Lord does not see them doing these evil things!
    They say the God of Jacob does not know what is happening.

You evil people are foolish.
    When will you learn your lesson?
You are so stupid!
    You must try to understand.
God made our ears,
    so surely he can hear what is happening!
He made our eyes,
    so surely he can see you!
10 The one who disciplines nations will surely correct you.
    He is the one who teaches us everything.
11 The Lord knows what people are thinking.
    He knows that their thoughts are like a puff of wind.

12 Lord, great blessings belong to those you discipline,
    to those you teach from your law.
13 You help them stay calm when trouble comes.
    You will help them until the wicked are put in their graves.
14 The Lord will not leave his people.
    He will not leave them without help.
15 Justice will return and bring fairness.
    And those who want to do right will be there to see it.

16 No one helped me fight against the wicked.
    No one stood with me against those who do evil.
17 And if the Lord had not helped me,
    I would have been silenced by death.
18 I know I was ready to fall,
    but, Lord, your faithful love supported me.
19 I was very worried and upset,
    but you comforted me and made me happy!

20 You don’t help crooked judges.
    They use the law to make life hard for the people.
21 They attack those who do right.
    They say innocent people are guilty and put them to death.
22 But the Lord is my place of safety, high on the mountain.
    God, my Rock, is my safe place!
23 He will punish those evil judges for the bad things they did.
    He will destroy them because they sinned.
    The Lord our God will destroy them.

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.