“THE PSALMIST’S URGENT CALL FOR GOD’S JUDGMENT” PSALM 94:1-23

The psalm before us can be labeled as a psalm of lament, wherein the psalmist is pleading for the Lord to take vengeance against the wicked.  The Lord should be sought in vengeance against our enemies, for Romans 12:19 says, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”  Instead of us trying to avenge against our enemies, verses 20-21 of Romans 12 directs us to treat our enemies with kindness, for those verses read: “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

In verses 1-3, the psalmist writes with absolute confidence affirming that vengeance belongs to the Lord and He will judge the wicked, “O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself” (v. 1b).    As believers, we know that the Lord will avenge the cause of the righteous, and we need not be worried about God’s judgment of the wicked because Psalm 37:1-2 states: “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”

In verses 4-7, the psalmist laments the proud way in which the wicked oppressed God’s people.  They exhibit these vile actions thinking that the Lord is not aware.  However, in verses 8-11, the psalmist calls on the wicked to be wise, for the Lord is aware of their oppression of the righteous and God sees and hears everything because He created both the eyes and ears of humans: “Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?  He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see?  He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not He correct? He that teacheth man knowledge, shall not He know?”  (vv. 8-10).

The psalmist expresses his confidence in the Lord despite the righteous being oppressed by the wicked; because, through being oppressed by the wicked, God is teaching the righteous through adversity (vv. 12-15).  Verse 12 states, “Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law.”

Although being oppressed by the wicked, the psalmist gained confidence in the fact that the Lord was his only means of security (vv. 16-19).  The psalmist concludes this psalm in triumph, knowing that the Lord will ultimately bring to nought the wicked:  “They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.  But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.  And 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”   (vv.20-23).

May God Bless!