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God Will Pay Back His Enemies

94 The Lord is a God ·who punishes [of vengeance; Deut. 32:35; Is. 34:8; Ezek. 24:8; 25:14–17; Nah. 1:2; Rom. 12:19; 1 Thess. 4:6].
    ·God, show your greatness and punish [L God of vengeance, shine forth]!
Rise up, Judge of the earth,
    and give the ·proud [arrogant] ·what they deserve [their due].
How long will the wicked be ·happy [joyful]?
    How long, Lord?

They ·are full of [L bubble forth, speaking] ·proud [insolent] words;
    those who do evil ·brag about what they have done [L talk a lot].
Lord, they crush your people
    and ·make your children suffer [L afflict your inheritance].
They kill widows and ·foreigners [sojourners; wanderers]
    and murder orphans [Ex. 22:21–24].
They say, “The Lord doesn’t see;
    the God of Jacob [C another name for Israel] doesn’t ·notice [understand].”

You ·stupid [senseless; dull witted] ones among the people, ·pay attention [L understand].
    You fools, when will you ·understand [get insight]?
Can’t the ·creator [L planter] of ears hear?
    Can’t the ·maker [former; shaper] of eyes see?
10 Won’t the one who ·corrects [instructs; disciplines] nations ·punish [reprimand; reprove] you?
    Doesn’t the teacher of people know everything?
11 The Lord knows ·what people think [L the thoughts of humans].
    He knows their thoughts are ·just a puff of wind [a bubble/vapor/meaningless/futile; Eccl. 1:2].

12 Lord, those you ·correct [instruct; discipline] are ·happy [blessed];
    you teach them from your ·law [instruction; teaching].
13 You give them ·rest [peace; quiet] from ·times [L days] of ·trouble [harm; evil]
    until a pit is dug for the wicked [Prov. 26:7; Eccl. 10:8].
14 The Lord won’t ·leave [abandon; cast off] his people
    nor ·give up [abandon; forsake] his ·children [L inheritance].
15 Judgment will again be ·fair [just; righteous],
    and all who are ·honest [L upright/virtuous of heart] will follow it.

16 Who will ·help me fight [L rise up with me] against the wicked?
    Who will stand with me against those who do evil?
17 If the Lord had not helped me,
    I would have ·died in a minute [L quickly dwelled in silence].
18 I said, “·I am about to fall [L My feet totter],”
    but, Lord, your ·love [loyalty] ·kept me safe [steadied/supported me].
19 ·I was very worried [L In my many disquieting thoughts in my insides],
    but you comforted me and ·made me happy [cheered me up].

20 ·Crooked leaders [L Ruinous thrones] cannot be your ·friends [allies].
    They use the ·law [statute; ordinance; requirement] to cause ·suffering [distress].
21 They ·join forces [band together] against ·people who do right [righteous people]
    and ·sentence [condemn] to death the innocent.
22 But the Lord is my ·defender [stronghold; fortress];
    my God is the rock [28:1; 42:9; 62:2; Deut. 32:4] of my ·protection [refuge].
23 God will pay them back for their ·sins [guilt; iniquity]
    and will destroy them for their evil.
The Lord our God will destroy them.

Psalm 94

The Lord is a God who avenges.(A)
    O God who avenges, shine forth.(B)
Rise up,(C) Judge(D) of the earth;
    pay back(E) to the proud what they deserve.
How long, Lord, will the wicked,
    how long will the wicked be jubilant?(F)

They pour out arrogant(G) words;
    all the evildoers are full of boasting.(H)
They crush your people,(I) Lord;
    they oppress your inheritance.(J)
They slay the widow(K) and the foreigner;
    they murder the fatherless.(L)
They say, “The Lord does not see;(M)
    the God of Jacob(N) takes no notice.”

Take notice, you senseless ones(O) among the people;
    you fools, when will you become wise?
Does he who fashioned the ear not hear?
    Does he who formed the eye not see?(P)
10 Does he who disciplines(Q) nations not punish?
    Does he who teaches(R) mankind lack knowledge?
11 The Lord knows all human plans;(S)
    he knows that they are futile.(T)

12 Blessed is the one you discipline,(U) Lord,
    the one you teach(V) from your law;
13 you grant them relief from days of trouble,(W)
    till a pit(X) is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not reject his people;(Y)
    he will never forsake his inheritance.
15 Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,(Z)
    and all the upright in heart(AA) will follow it.

16 Who will rise up(AB) for me against the wicked?
    Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?(AC)
17 Unless the Lord had given me help,(AD)
    I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.(AE)
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping,(AF)
    your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
19 When anxiety(AG) was great within me,
    your consolation(AH) brought me joy.

20 Can a corrupt throne(AI) be allied with you—
    a throne that brings on misery by its decrees?(AJ)
21 The wicked band together(AK) against the righteous
    and condemn the innocent(AL) to death.(AM)
22 But the Lord has become my fortress,
    and my God the rock(AN) in whom I take refuge.(AO)
23 He will repay(AP) them for their sins
    and destroy(AQ) them for their wickedness;
    the Lord our God will destroy them.