1God, put an end to evil; avenging God, show your colors!
2Judge of the earth, take your stand; throw the book at the arrogant.
3God, the wicked get away with murder— how long will you let this go on?
4They brag and boast and crow about their crimes!
5They walk all over your people, God, exploit and abuse your precious people.
6They take out anyone who gets in their way; if they can't use them, they kill them.
7They think, "God isn't looking, Jacob's God is out to lunch."
8Well, think again, you idiots, fools—how long before you get smart?
9Do you think Ear-Maker doesn't hear, Eye-Shaper doesn't see?
10Do you think the trainer of nations doesn't correct, the teacher of Adam doesn't know?
11God knows, all right— knows your stupidity, sees your shallowness.
12How blessed the man you train, God, the woman you instruct in your Word,
13Providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil, while a jail is being built for the wicked.
14God will never walk away from his people, never desert his precious people.
15Rest assured that justice is on its way and every good heart put right.
16Who stood up for me against the wicked? Who took my side against evil workers?
17If God hadn't been there for me, I never would have made it.
18The minute I said, "I'm slipping, I'm falling," your love, God, took hold and held me fast.
19When I was upset and beside myself, you calmed me down and cheered me up.
20Can Misrule have anything in common with you? Can Troublemaker pretend to be on your side?
21They ganged up on good people, plotted behind the backs of the innocent.
22But God became my hideout, God was my high mountain retreat,
23Then boomeranged their evil back on them: for their evil ways he wiped them out, our God cleaned them out for good.