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

O Lord, the God Who punishes, God Who punishes, let Your light shine!

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

Rise up, You Judge of the earth. Pay what is owed to the proud.

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

How long will the sinful, O Lord, how long will the sinful be full of joy?

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

They pour out proud words. All those who do wrong, talk about themselves as if they are great people.

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

They crush Your people, O Lord. They bring trouble upon Your chosen nation.

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

They kill the woman whose husband has died and the stranger. They kill the children who have no parents.

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

And they say, “The Lord does not see. The God of Jacob does not care.”

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

Listen, you foolish ones among the people. You fools, when will you understand?

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

He Who made the ear, does He not hear? He Who made the eye, does He not see?

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

He Who punishes nations so they might give up sin, will He not speak strong words to them? Is He not the One Who teaches man all he knows?

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

The Lord knows the thoughts of man. He knows that they are empty.

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

Happy is the man who is punished until he gives up sin, O Lord, and whom You teach from 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.

You give him rest from days of trouble, until a hole is dug for the sinful.

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

For the Lord will not turn away from His people. He will not leave His chosen nation.

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

For what is decided will be right and good. And all those whose hearts are right 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?

Who will rise up for me against the sinful? Who will take a stand for me against those who do wrong?

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

If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have been among the dead.

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

When I said, “My foot is going out from under me,” Your loving-kindness held me up, O Lord.

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

When my worry is great within me, Your comfort brings joy to my soul.

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

Can a sinful throne that brings trouble by its laws be a friend to You?

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

They join together against the life of those who are right and good. They send those who are not guilty to their death.

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

But the Lord has been my strong place, my God, and the rock where I am safe.

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.

He has brought back their own sin upon them and will destroy them for their wrong-doing. The Lord our God will destroy them.