1 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs— O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!

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

2 R ise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud.

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

3 L ord, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph?

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

4 T hey utter speech, and speak insolent things; All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.

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

5 T hey break in pieces Your people, O Lord, And afflict Your heritage.

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

6 T hey slay the widow and the stranger, And murder the fatherless.

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

7 Y et they say, “The Lord does not see, Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”

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

8 U nderstand, you senseless among the people; And you fools, when will you be wise?

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

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

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

10 H e who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge?

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

11 T he Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile.

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

12 B lessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, And teach out of Your law,

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

13 T hat You may give him rest from the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug for the wicked.

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

14 F or the Lord will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

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

15 B ut judgment will return to righteousness, And all the upright in heart will follow it.

But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall 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 evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

17 U nless the Lord had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence.

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

18 I f I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.

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

19 I n the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.

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

20 S hall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, Have fellowship with You?

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

21 T hey gather together against the life of the righteous, And condemn innocent blood.

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

22 B ut the Lord has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge.

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

23 H e has brought on them their own iniquity, And shall cut them off in their own wickedness; The Lord our God shall cut them off.

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.