Psalms 94:1-23
1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth;
Render punishment to the proud.
3 LORD, how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?
4 They utter speech, and speak insolent things;
All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
5 They break in pieces Your people, O LORD,
And afflict Your heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger,
And murder the fatherless.
7 Yet they say, "The LORD does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob understand."
8 Understand, you senseless among the people;
And you fools, when will you be wise?
9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
10 He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct,
He who teaches man knowledge?
11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.
12 Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O LORD,
And teach out of Your law,
13 That You may give him rest from the days of adversity,
Until the pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the LORD will not cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
15 But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.
16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the LORD had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.
18 If I say, "My foot slips,"
Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up.
19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.
20 Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law,
Have fellowship with You?
21 They gather together against the life of the righteous,
And condemn innocent blood.
22 But the LORD has been my defense,
And my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He has brought on them their own iniquity,
And shall cut them off in their own wickedness;
The LORD our God shall cut them off.
This song assures us of God as our vengeance and our refuge. He is the avenger of His people; we are not therefore to seek out our own vengeance or retaliation. He is also our refuge in times of trouble, able to sustain us and carry us through the difficult circumstances. In this imprecatory song, the psalmist calls for God to answer with judgment to punish the proud set against Him and them by shining forth His light of righteousness and truth to set things right. He knew it was not right that the unrighteous should continue to prosper and gain the victory. He pointed out their self-centered boasting of unfettered pride and their taking advantage of the helpless as points of judgment. He also asked how they could continue to defy and blaspheme God by calling Him deaf and blind, unwise and uncaring. How wrong they were! The foolish are not wise, but can only have eyes to see and ears to hear if God gives them the senses to see and hear. Man’s thoughts are unwise and futile apart from God’s instruction, correction, and imparting of knowledge with understanding, which originate in God’s word and are worked into us by His will and work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The blessed of the Lord are the ones whom God Himself teaches, promising eternal rest from adversity, while passing a sentence of eternal unrest in the pit for those refusing the faith He offers with its promises. This psalm assures those who are called and chosen as God’s people that we will never be cast off (Isaiah 43:13) or forsaken; salvation to eternal life cannot be lost or surrendered, for we are His inheritance. That new covenant cannot be broken, for it is based on God’s promises and not our performance to earn it. It is a gift of life, not a reward earned. His judgment is according to the righteousness imputed to us, seen as Christ’s alone with us living in Him and in it. Our help, then, against the ungodly is God Himself. He keeps us from despair and from giving up as we are assaulted by the unrighteous, and we do not lose hope (2 Corinthians 4:1, 16) because He is sovereignly in control of the worst as well as the best circumstance. He upholds our feet that we do not slip or hit against a stone to stumble and fall, comforting our anxieties with delight by such promises! The evil don’t have this fellowship with the Almighty as we do, and their opposition only ends in certain judgment apart from His calling and regeneration. God is our defense against the slander and attacks, our eternal refuge and Rock (Christ) of our deliverance from judgment. Those outside of Christ will be cut off forever, but we can rest in assurance to persevere to the end. He is our Avenger and our Refuge.
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