| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongs— O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! | 1O LORD, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth! |
| 2Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud. | 2Arise, O Judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve. |
| 3LORD, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph? | 3How long, O LORD? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat? |
| 4They utter speech, and speak insolent things; All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves. | 4How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast? |
| 5They break in pieces Your people, O LORD, And afflict Your heritage. | 5They crush your people, LORD, hurting those you claim as your own. |
| 6They slay the widow and the stranger, And murder the fatherless. | 6They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans. |
| 7Yet they say, “The LORD does not see, Nor does the God of Jacob understand.” | 7“The LORD isn’t looking,” they say, “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.” |
| 8Understand, you senseless among the people; And you fools, when will you be wise? | 8Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on? |
| 9He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? | 9Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes? |
| 10He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge? | 10He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you? He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing? |
| 11The LORD knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile. | 11The LORD knows people’s thoughts; he knows they are worthless! |
| 12Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O LORD, And teach out of Your law, | 12Joyful are those you discipline, LORD, those you teach with your instructions. |
| 13That You may give him rest from the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug for the wicked. | 13You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked. |
| 14For the LORD will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance. | 14The LORD will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession. |
| 15But judgment will return to righteousness, And all the upright in heart will follow it. | 15Judgment will again be founded on justice, and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it. |
| 16Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? | 16Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers? |
| 17Unless the LORD had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence. | 17Unless the LORD had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave. |
| 18If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up. | 18I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. |
| 19In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. | 19When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. |
| 20Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, Have fellowship with You? | 20Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side— leaders whose decrees permit injustice? |
| 21They gather together against the life of the righteous, And condemn innocent blood. | 21They gang up against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. |
| 22But the LORD has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge. | 22But the LORD is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide. |
| 23He has brought on them their own iniquity, And shall cut them off in their own wickedness; The LORD our God shall cut them off. | 23God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The LORD our God will destroy them. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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