King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.
1
O LORD, thou God of vengeance, thou God of vengeance, shine forth!
2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.
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Rise up, O judge of the earth; render to the proud their deserts!
3 LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
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O LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?
4 How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
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They pour out their arrogant words, they boast, all the evildoers.
5 They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.
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They crush thy people, O LORD, and afflict thy heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
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They slay the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless;
7 Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.
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and they say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive."
8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?
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Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise?
9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
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He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?
10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?
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He who chastens the nations, does he not chastise? He who teaches men knowledge,
11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
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the LORD, knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.
12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
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Blessed is the man whom thou dost chasten, O LORD, and whom thou dost teach out of thy law
13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.
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to give him respite from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
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For the LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage;
15 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
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for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.
16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
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Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers?
17 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
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If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have dwelt in the land of silence.
18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
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When I thought, "My foot slips," thy steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.
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When the cares of my heart are many, thy consolations cheer my soul.
20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?
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Can wicked rulers be allied with thee, who frame mischief by statute?
21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
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They band together against the life of the righteous, and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
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But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge.
23 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.
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He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the LORD our God will wipe them out.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.