Psalm 94 (Tate & Brady)

1,2 O God, to whom revenge belongs,

thy vengeance now disclose;

Arise, thou Judge of all the earth,

and crush thy haughty foes.

3,4 How long, O Lord, shall sinful men

their solemn triumphs make?

How long their wicked actions boast,

and insolently speak.

5,6 Not only they thy saints,oppress,

but unprovoked they spill

The widow's and the strangers blood,

and helpless orphans kill.

7 "And yet the Lord shall ne'er perceive,"

(profanely thus they speak,)

Nor any notice of our deeds

the God of Jacob take."

8 At length, ye stupid fools, your wants

endeavor to discern;

In folly will you still proceed,

and wisdom never learn?

9,10 Can he be deaf, who formed the ear?

or blind, who framed the eye?

Shall earth's great Judge not punish those

who his known will defy?

11 He fathoms all the thoughts of men,

to him their hearts lie bare;

His eye surveys them all, and sees

how vain their counsels are.

The Second Part.

12 Blessed is the man, whom thou, O Lord,

in kindness dost.chastise,

And by thy sacred rules to walk

dost lovingly advise.

13 This man shall rest and safety find

in seasons of distress,

Whilst God prepares a pit for those

that stubbornly transgress.

14 For God will never from his saints

his favor wholly take;

His own possession and his lot

he will not quite forsake.

15 The world shall then confess thee just

in all that thou hast done;

And those that choose thy upright ways

shall in those paths go on.

16 Who will appear in my behalf

when wicked men invade?

Or who, when sinners would oppress,

my righteous cause shall plead?

17,18,19

Long since had I in silence slept,

but that the Lord was near,

To stay me when I slipped: when sad,

my troubled heart to cheer.

20 Wilt thou, who art a God most just,

their sinful throne sustain,

Who make the law a fair pretence

their wicked ends to gain?

21 Against the lives of righteous men

they form their close design;

And, blood of innocents to spill,

in solemn league combine.

22 But my defense is firmly placed

in God the Lord most high;

He is my rock, to which I may

for refuge always fly.

23 The Lord shall cause their ill designs

on their own heads to fall;

He in their sins shall cut them off,

our God shall slay them all.