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Context: God vindicates the upright while still judging the people and the wicked. (Jer 39:15-18)
Historically, Levites [Descendants of United with] sang this Psalm on Fourth Day in the Temple.
1 Adonai, you God to whom vengeance belongs,
you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out.
2 Rise up, you judge of the earth.
Pay back the proud what they deserve.
3 Adonai, how long will the wicked,
how long will the wicked triumph?
4 They pour out arrogant words.
All those who practice vain striving of iniquity boast.
5 They break your people in pieces, Adonai,
and afflict your heritage.
6 They kill the widow and the alien,
and murder the fatherless.
7 They say, “Yah will not see,
neither will Jacob [Supplanter]’s God consider.”
8 Consider, you senseless among the people;
you fools, when will you be wise?
9 He who implanted the ear, won’t he sh'ma ·hear obey·?
He who formed the eye, won’t he see?
10 He who disciplines the nations, won’t he punish?
He who teaches man knows.
11 Adonai knows the thoughts of man,
that they are futile. *. Quoted in 1 Cor 3:20
12 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, Yah,
and teach out of your Torah ·Teaching·;
13 that you may give him rest from the days of adversity,
until the pit is dug for the wicked.
neither will he forsake his inheritance.
15 For judgment will teshuvah ·completely return· to righteousness.
All the upright in heart shall follow it.
16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who will stand up for me against those who practice vain striving of iniquity?
17 Unless Adonai had been my help,
my soul would have soon lived in silence.
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping!”
Your chesed ·loving-kindness·, Adonai, held me up.
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me,
your comforts delight my soul.
20 Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you,
which brings about mischief by statute?
21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the upright,
and condemn as guilty the innocent blood.
22 But Adonai has been my high tower,
my God, the rock of my refuge.
23 He has brought on them their own vain striving of iniquity,
and will cut them off in their own wickedness.
Adonai, our God, will cut them off.