[1] O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth!
[2] Arise, O Judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve.
[3] How long, O Lord? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat?
[4] How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast?
[5] They crush your people, Lord, hurting those you claim as your own.
[6] They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans.
[7] “The Lord isn’t looking,” they say, “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
[8] Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on?
[9] Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes?
[10] He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you? He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing?
[11] The Lord knows people’s thoughts; he knows they are worthless!
[12] Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions.
[13] You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked.
[14] The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession.
[15] Judgment will again be founded on justice, and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it.
[16] Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
[17] Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave.
[18] I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.
[19] When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
[20] Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side— leaders whose decrees permit injustice?
[21] They gang up against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.
[22] But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide.
[23] God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The Lord our God will destroy them.