94 Yahweh, God who avenges,

God of vengeance, let your radiance shine.

2 Rise up, judge of the earth.

Give the proud what they deserve.

3 How long will the wicked last, Yahweh,

≈How long will the wicked rejoice?

4 They blabber out their arrogant words.

≈All those who do wicked things boast.

5 They crush your people, Yahweh.

≈They oppress the nation that belongs to you.

6 They kill widows and strangers,

≈and they murder the fatherless.

7 They say, “Yahweh won’t see it.

≈Yacob’s God won’t take any notice of it.”

8 Understand, you stupid people.

≈You fools, when will you ever learn?

9 Can’t the one who made ears, hear?

≈Why can’t the one formed the eye, see?

10 Can’t the one who disciplines the nations, correct them?

He’s the one who gives knowledge to humankind.

11 Yahweh knows people’s thoughts—

that they’re just vapour.[ref]

12 Anyone who you discipline, Yahweh, is fortunate—

≈those who you teach from your instructions.

13 They get relief in times of trouble

until a pit gets dug for wicked people,

14 because Yahweh won’t reject his people,

≈or abandon those who belong to him.

15 Because justice will be honest and fair again,

and all the people who desire to do what’s right will appreciate that.

16 Who will come and defend me against those who do evil things?

≈Who will stand up for me against wicked people?

17 If Yahweh hadn’t helped me,

my soul would have been living in silence at the cemetery by now.

18 When I called out, “Hey, I’m starting to slip,”

your loyal commitment, Yahweh, supported me.

19 Whenever I’m very worried

your comfort encourages me.

20 Can a corrupt king be your ally?

Someone who makes it legal to do what’s wrong?

21 They work together to take the lives of good citizens,

and they give the death sentence to innocent people.

22 But Yahweh has been like a fortress for me,

≈and God has been a place of safety.

23 He will turn their own disobedience back on them

≈and will destroy them because of their own wickedness.

Yes, our God Yahweh will wipe them out.