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, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.

Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.

Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?

They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage.

They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.

Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.

Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?

He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?

11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law;

13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.

14 For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

15 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.

16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

17 Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

22 But the Lord is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

23 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off.

God the Refuge of the Righteous

94 O Lord God, (A)to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
Rise up, O (B)Judge of the earth;
[a]Render punishment to the proud.
Lord, (C)how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?

They (D)utter speech, and speak insolent things;
All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
They break in pieces Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.
They slay the widow and the stranger,
And murder the fatherless.
(E)Yet they say, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob [b]understand.”

Understand, you senseless among the people;
And you fools, when will you be wise?
(F)He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
10 He who [c]instructs the [d]nations, shall He not correct,
He who teaches man knowledge?
11 The Lord (G)knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.

12 Blessed is the man whom You (H)instruct, O Lord,
And teach out of Your law,
13 That You may give him [e]rest from the days of adversity,
Until the pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not [f]cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
15 But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the Lord had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.
18 If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.
19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.

20 Shall (I)the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law,
Have fellowship with You?
21 They gather together against the life of the righteous,
And condemn (J)innocent blood.
22 But the Lord has been my defense,
And my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He has brought on them their own iniquity,
And shall [g]cut them off in their own wickedness;
The Lord our God shall cut them off.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 94:2 Repay with
  2. Psalm 94:7 pay attention
  3. Psalm 94:10 disciplines
  4. Psalm 94:10 Gentiles
  5. Psalm 94:13 relief
  6. Psalm 94:14 abandon
  7. Psalm 94:23 destroy them

The Lord Will Not Forsake His People

94 O Lord, God of (A)vengeance,
    O God of vengeance, (B)shine forth!
(C)Rise up, O (D)judge of the earth;
    repay to the (E)proud what they deserve!
O Lord, (F)how long shall the wicked,
    how long shall (G)the wicked exult?
They pour out their (H)arrogant words;
    all (I)the evildoers boast.
They (J)crush your people, O Lord,
    and afflict your heritage.
They kill (K)the widow and the sojourner,
    and murder (L)the fatherless;
(M)and they say, “The Lord does not see;
    the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

(N)Understand, O dullest of the people!
    Fools, when will you be wise?
(O)He who planted the ear, does he not hear?
He who formed the eye, does he not see?
10 He who (P)disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?
He who (Q)teaches man knowledge—
11     (R)the Lord—knows the thoughts of man,
    that they are (S)but a breath.[a]

12 (T)Blessed is the man whom you (U)discipline, O Lord,
    and whom you teach out of your law,
13 to give him (V)rest from (W)days of trouble,
    until (X)a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 (Y)For the Lord will not forsake his (Z)people;
    he will not abandon his (AA)heritage;
15 for (AB)justice will return to the righteous,
    and all the upright in heart will (AC)follow it.

16 (AD)Who rises up for me against the wicked?
    Who stands up for me against evildoers?
17 (AE)If the Lord had not been my help,
    my soul would soon have lived in the land of (AF)silence.
18 When I thought, (AG)“My foot slips,”
    your steadfast love, O Lord, (AH)held me up.
19 When the cares of my heart are many,
    your consolations cheer my soul.
20 Can (AI)wicked rulers be allied with you,
    those who frame[b] injustice by (AJ)statute?
21 They (AK)band together against the life of the righteous
    and condemn (AL)the innocent to death.[c]
22 But the Lord has become my (AM)stronghold,
    and my God (AN)the rock of my (AO)refuge.
23 He will bring back on them (AP)their iniquity
    and (AQ)wipe them out for their wickedness;
    the Lord our God will wipe them out.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 94:11 Septuagint they are futile
  2. Psalm 94:20 Or fashion
  3. Psalm 94:21 Hebrew condemn innocent blood