Psalms 94

¹O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.

²Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.

Psa 94:1-23. The writer, appealing to God in view of the oppression of enemies, rebukes them for their wickedness and folly, and encourages himself, in the confidence that God will punish evildoers, and favor His people. 1-2. God’s revenge is His judicial infliction of righteous punishment. show thyself--(Compare Margin).

³LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

⁴How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?

3-4. In an earnest expostulation he expresses his desire that the insolent triumph of the wicked may be ended.

⁵They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.

⁶They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.

5-6. thy people [and] thine heritage--are synonymous, the people being often called God’s heritage. As justice to the weak is a sign of the best government, their oppression is a sign of the worst (De 10:18; Is 10:2).

⁷Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.

7. Their cruelty is only exceeded by their wicked and absurd presumption (Psa 10:11; 59:7).

⁸Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?

8. ye brutish--(Compare Psa 73:22; 92:6).

⁹He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

¹⁰He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?

¹¹The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

9-11. The evidence of God’s providential government is found in His creative power and omniscience, which also assure us that He can punish the wicked in regard to all their vain purposes.

¹²Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;

¹³That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.

12-13. On the other hand He favors though He chastens, the pious, and will teach and preserve them till the prosperous wicked are overthrown.

¹⁴For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

¹⁵But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.

14-15. This results from His abiding love (De 32:15), which is further evinced by His restoring order in His government, whose right administration will be approved by the good.

¹⁶Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

16. These questions imply that none other than God will help (Psa 60:9),

¹⁷Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

¹⁸When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.

¹⁹In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

17-19. a fact fully confirmed by his past experience. dwelt in silence--as in the grave (Psa 31:17).

²⁰Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

20. throne--power, rulers. iniquity [and] mischief--both denote evils done to others, as Psa 94:21 explains.

²²But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

²³And 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.

22-23. Yet he is safe in God’s care. defence--(Psa 59:9). rock of ... refuge--(Psa 9:9; 18:2).