Aa

Psalm 94

1The Lord is a God who punishes.
Since you are the one who punishes, come and show your anger.
2Judge of the earth, rise up.
Pay back proud people for what they have done.
3 Lord, how long will those who are evil be glad?
How long will they be full of joy?

4Proud words pour out of their mouths.
All those who do evil are always bragging.
5 Lord, they crush your people.
They treat badly those who belong to you.
6They kill outsiders. They kill widows.
They murder children whose fathers have died.
7They say, “The Lord doesn’t see what’s happening.
The God of Jacob doesn’t pay any attention to it.”

8You who aren’t wise, pay attention.
You foolish people, when will you become wise?
9Does he who made the ear not hear?
Does he who formed the eye not see?
10Does he who corrects nations not punish?
Does he who teaches human beings not know anything?
11The Lord knows what people think.
He knows that their thoughts don’t amount to anything.

12 Lord, blessed is the person you correct.
Blessed is the person you teach from your law.
13You give them rest from times of trouble,
until a pit is dug to trap sinners.
14The Lord won’t say no to his people.
He will never desert those who belong to him.
15He will again judge people in keeping with what is right.
All those who have honest hearts will follow the right way.

16Who will rise up for me against sinful people?
Who will stand up for me against those who do evil?
17Suppose the Lord had not helped me.
Then I would soon have been lying quietly in the grave.
18I said, “My foot is slipping.”
But Lord, your faithful love kept me from falling.
19I was very worried.
But your comfort brought me joy.

20Can you have anything to do with rulers who aren’t fair?
Can those who make laws that cause suffering be friends of yours?
21Evil people join together against those who do what is right.
They sentence to death those who aren’t guilty of doing anything wrong.
22But the Lord has become like a fort to me.
My God is my rock. I go to him for safety.
23He will pay them back for their sins.
He will destroy them for their evil acts.
The Lord our God will destroy them.