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

Yahweh, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out.

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

Rise up, you judge of the earth. Pay back the proud what they deserve.

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

Yahweh, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?

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

They pour out arrogant words. All the evildoers boast.

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

They break your people in pieces, Yahweh, and afflict your heritage.

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

They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless.

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

They say, “Yah will not see, neither will Jacob’s God consider.”

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

Consider, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you be wise?

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

He who implanted the ear, won’t he hear? He who formed the eye, won’t he see?

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

He who disciplines the nations, won’t he punish? He who teaches man knows.

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

Yahweh knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.

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

Blessed is the man whom you discipline, Yah, and teach out of your law;

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

that you may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked.

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

For Yahweh won’t reject 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.

For judgment will return to righteousness. 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 wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?

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

Unless Yahweh had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.

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

When I said, “My foot is slipping!” Your loving kindness, Yahweh, 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, your comforts delight my soul.

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

Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?

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 Yahweh has been my high tower, my God, 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.

He has brought on them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness. Yahweh, our God, will cut them off.