1 O Lord God, You to Whom vengeance belongs, O God, You to Whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!

2 R ise up, O Judge of the earth; render to the proud a fit compensation!

3 L ord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph and exult?

4 T hey pour out arrogant words, speaking hard things; all the evildoers boast loftily.

5 T hey crush Your people, O Lord, and afflict Your heritage.

6 T hey slay the widow and the transient stranger and murder the unprotected orphan.

7 Y et they say, The Lord does not see, neither does the God of Jacob notice it.

8 C onsider and understand, you stupid ones among the people! And you fools, when will you become wise?

9 H e Who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He Who formed the eye, shall He not see?

10 H e Who disciplines and instructs the nations, shall He not punish, He Who teaches man knowledge?

11 T he Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are vain (empty and futile—only a breath).

12 B lessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law,

13 T hat You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity, until the pit of corruption is dug for the wicked.

14 F or the Lord will not cast off nor spurn His people, neither will He abandon His heritage.

15 F or justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 W ho will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

17 U nless the Lord had been my help, I would soon have dwelt in silence.

18 W hen I said, My foot is slipping, Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, held me up.

19 I n the multitude of my thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul!

20 S hall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with You—they who frame and hide their unrighteous doings under law?

21 T hey band themselves together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.

22 B ut the Lord has become my High Tower and Defense, and my God the Rock of my refuge.

23 A nd He will turn back upon them their own iniquity and will wipe them out by means of their own wickedness; the Lord our God will wipe them out.