Psa 94:14 | KingComments | STEP | It is clear to faith that “the LORD will not abandon His people” ( ; cf. ), even though it appears that they are in the power of the wicked ( ). He remains faithful. The assurance of this is a comfort in the midst of distress. With the same assurance of faith, the psalmist says that the LORD will not “forsake His inheritance”. His property is His inheritance, which is His precious possession ( ). Knowing that we are precious to Him quiets the mind. This comforting assurance flows from the knowledge that “judgment will again be righteous” ( ). Now the judgment pronounced by men and carried out is unjust by sin. That it is unjust now we see in the clearest way in Pilate’s judgment of the Lord Jesus. Pilate passes the most unjust judgment ever. In him and Christ we see the greatest possible contrast between judgment and justice. When Christ reigns, “judgment will again be righteous” (cf. ). In Him, judgment and righteousness are in perfect harmony with each other. To that time the God-fearing looks forward. When Christ executes His judgments, He does so completely righteously. No one will dispute that, and “all the upright in heart will follow it”. What they have always believed in their hearts, they will then speak aloud and clear: there is a God Who does justice on earth. The psalmist, the upright in heart, the God-fearing, expresses the question of who will “stand up for me against evildoers?” ( ). It is a question that arises from the circumstances he has described in the first part of the psalm ( ). The same is true of the question: “Who will take his stand for me against those who do wickedness?” Then he expressed his faith in God Who hears all and Who will not forsake His people or forsake His inheritance. He will repay injustice ( ). He also experienced this during the time when God’s people and inheritance were trampled and oppressed. There was no one to stand up for him against the evildoers and committers of unrighteous. But the LORD was there. He was his Helper and helped him through it. If He had not been his “help”, he “would soon have dwelt in [the abode of] silence” that is in the grave ( ). Then he would not have been able to say a word, for he would have “dwelt in silence”, that is, he would be dead ( ). He has been at the end of his strength. His foot has slipped ( ). This is what he said to the LORD. And the LORD has helped him. He sustained him with His mercy. Lovingkindness here again is the assurance of God’s faithfulness to His covenant. That faithfulness for us and for the believing remnant is based on the blood of the new covenant. The fact that Christ was raised from the dead gives us the firm assurance that God is for us ( ). The LORD has given him the consciousness that He loves him, in spite of the trampling and oppression or just during the trampling and oppression. The lovingkindness of God is felt at its deepest when circumstances are full of misery. He does not take away the misery, but comes with His lovingkindness to sustain us (cf. ). In a time of severe and hopeless suffering, the thoughts of a believer multiply within him ( ). He asks himself and God countless questions, questions that torment him, but to which there comes no answer. He can’t figure it out. All these questions cause great inner turmoil. Outwardly there is strife, inwardly there is fear (cf. ). Then there are God’s consolations. God refreshes the soul of the wrestling believer by His presence. The Hebrew word for consolation, naham , means ‘to sigh deeply with relief’. When the wrestling soul is led to look away from himself and his problems and to turn his heart to God, the need has not disappeared, but God has joined in it. This can sometimes be a lengthy process. Nevertheless, the believer will finally end up with God. Then when he looks back on that dark period in his life, he will testify that he got through that period because God was his Helper.

‏ Psalms 94:14

The LORD Helps

It is clear to faith that “the LORD will not abandon His people” (Psa 94:14; cf. Rom 11:1), even though it appears that they are in the power of the wicked (Psa 94:5). He remains faithful. The assurance of this is a comfort in the midst of distress. With the same assurance of faith, the psalmist says that the LORD will not “forsake His inheritance”. His property is His inheritance, which is His precious possession (Exo 19:5b). Knowing that we are precious to Him quiets the mind.

This comforting assurance flows from the knowledge that “judgment will again be righteous” (Psa 94:15). Now the judgment pronounced by men and carried out is unjust by sin. That it is unjust now we see in the clearest way in Pilate’s judgment of the Lord Jesus. Pilate passes the most unjust judgment ever. In him and Christ we see the greatest possible contrast between judgment and justice.

When Christ reigns, “judgment will again be righteous” (cf. Isa 1:25-26). In Him, judgment and righteousness are in perfect harmony with each other. To that time the God-fearing looks forward. When Christ executes His judgments, He does so completely righteously. No one will dispute that, and “all the upright in heart will follow it”. What they have always believed in their hearts, they will then speak aloud and clear: there is a God Who does justice on earth.

The psalmist, the upright in heart, the God-fearing, expresses the question of who will “stand up for me against evildoers?” (Psa 94:16). It is a question that arises from the circumstances he has described in the first part of the psalm (Psa 94:3-6). The same is true of the question: “Who will take his stand for me against those who do wickedness?” Then he expressed his faith in God Who hears all and Who will not forsake His people or forsake His inheritance. He will repay injustice (Psa 94:1).

He also experienced this during the time when God’s people and inheritance were trampled and oppressed. There was no one to stand up for him against the evildoers and committers of unrighteous. But the LORD was there. He was his Helper and helped him through it. If He had not been his “help”, he “would soon have dwelt in [the abode of] silence” that is in the grave (Psa 94:17). Then he would not have been able to say a word, for he would have “dwelt in silence”, that is, he would be dead (Psa 115:17).

He has been at the end of his strength. His foot has slipped (Psa 94:18). This is what he said to the LORD. And the LORD has helped him. He sustained him with His mercy. Lovingkindness here again is the assurance of God’s faithfulness to His covenant. That faithfulness for us and for the believing remnant is based on the blood of the new covenant. The fact that Christ was raised from the dead gives us the firm assurance that God is for us (Rom 4:24-25 ; Rom 8:31).

The LORD has given him the consciousness that He loves him, in spite of the trampling and oppression or just during the trampling and oppression. The lovingkindness of God is felt at its deepest when circumstances are full of misery. He does not take away the misery, but comes with His lovingkindness to sustain us (cf. 2Cor 12:7-9).

In a time of severe and hopeless suffering, the thoughts of a believer multiply within him (Psa 94:19). He asks himself and God countless questions, questions that torment him, but to which there comes no answer. He can’t figure it out. All these questions cause great inner turmoil. Outwardly there is strife, inwardly there is fear (cf. 2Cor 7:5). Then there are God’s consolations. God refreshes the soul of the wrestling believer by His presence. The Hebrew word for consolation, naham, means ‘to sigh deeply with relief’.

When the wrestling soul is led to look away from himself and his problems and to turn his heart to God, the need has not disappeared, but God has joined in it. This can sometimes be a lengthy process. Nevertheless, the believer will finally end up with God. Then when he looks back on that dark period in his life, he will testify that he got through that period because God was his Helper.