Psa 94:6 | KingComments | STEP | In Psalms 94-101 we have a review to the time of the great tribulation, just before the appearing of Christ. It is the time when the antichrist is king in Israel, the Jewish temple is rebuilt, and the believing Jews are persecuted. The remnant suffers greatly from injustice during the reign of the antichrist. They cry out to the LORD for help. Psalm 94 puts into words the feelings of this faithful remnant. The Lord Jesus describes this situation in Luke 18 in the parable of the unjust judge ( ). Psalm 94 specifically describes the widow’s request for justice to be done to her ( ). This psalm was sung – according to Jewish tradition – by the priests while Nebuchadnezzar’s soldiers were busy destroying the temple. The psalmist cries out to the “God of vengeance” ( ). By “vengeance” we should not think of angry, bitter feelings but of a hunger and thirst for justice ( ; ). Justice means that God must repay the evil deeds of the enemy in order to redeem His people ( ). The Hebrew word for vengeance, naqam , means an action in which the victim is protected and the perpetrators are punished. The name “God of vengeance [or: retribution]” occurs twice in this verse to underline it. The call to the God of vengeance involves asking God to avenge all injustice. It is not a one-time call, but a constant one (cf. ). That God is the God of vengeance also implies that He is the Only One Who has the right to exercise vengeance and no one else ( ; ; ; ). He can, however, delegate that vengeance, setting the boundaries for it ( ; ; ; ). The call for vengeance – revenge in the sense of retribution – is appropriate for the God-fearing Jew (cf. ; ). The vengeance of God is the exercise of justice over the injustice that the wicked have done to God and His people. The psalmist calls that God “LORD”, appealing to God’s faithfulness to His covenant with His people Israel. For us who live in the age of grace, we will pray for those who wrong us ( ; ; ; ; ). The psalmist knows that it is not for him to exercise vengeance, but only for God to do so (cf. ). Therefore, he asks Him. Nor does he seek satisfaction for the injustice suffered, but because vengeance paves the way for the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. The request of the remnant to “shine forth” is the request to send the Messiah to deliver them from their enemies ( ; cf. ). In the return to earth of His Son, the Messiah Jesus, God will appear shining. Then the psalmist calls God “Judge of the earth” ( ; ). The whole earth is under His authority. The “proud” have had their way for too long. Proudness is the sin of the devil ( ). The antichrist, called the wicked, is prideful ( ) by exalting himself to a god ( ). In the pride of Herod we see a type of the pride of the antichrist ( ). The proud and wicked in refer to the antichrist and his followers. It is high time for the Judge to exalt Himself, to rise up, to show His judicial majesty and “render recompense”. The proud have all along been pretending to be ‘judge of the earth’, denying God (see the explanation at Psalm 82:1). This evil has its own ‘reward’ and that is the judgment of God. That God will act is not a question for the psalmist. But when will He do so ( )? “How long” will God tolerate the wicked going about their business undisturbed (cf. )? It seems as if there is no end to their proud behavior. How long will He just sit and watch? They have all the fun in the world and God does not halt them. How often do we have that thought too? There is reason enough to give them the deserved reward of judgment. The psalmist points out to God a number of things. First, he points to their mouths. Their mouths “pour forth [words], they speak arrogantly” ( ; cf. ). They boast of the injustice they do, which allows them to afford the luxurious life they live ( ). He lists some of the acts of injustice they do and points them out to the “LORD”: 1. “They crush Your people” ( ; cf. ). The wicked are violating the people who are His, the people He has chosen to be His people. They crush them, trample them underfoot. And yet they are His people, the people of whom He is King. What king does not stand up for his people? 2. They “afflict Your heritage”. The wicked take away freedom from the LORD’s heritage, from what belongs to Him. A Jew’s possessions, such as the land, are the heritage of the LORD ( ). “They”, that is prophetically the antichrist and his followers, are oppressing those whom He has delivered from bondage to be His heritage. Why does He allow this to happen without intervening? 3. And surely He must also see what the wicked do to “the widow and the stranger” and the “orphans”: they slay and murder them ( ). These crimes prove a special heartlessness and cruelty. The widow, stranger and orphan are extremely vulnerable people. They often have little more than their lives. Toward them, the wicked prove that they are not only out to increase their possessions, but that they act out of murderous lust. In this light, what James writes prophetically about them in his letter is appealing: “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of [our] God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress” ( ). It is not a call to visit them for a chat, but to visit them in view of their needs. The psalmist’s vexing question in connection with this is: where is the LORD’s care for these defenseless people? After all, He has specifically guaranteed Himself for them ( ; ). However, He seems to be indifferent to what is being done to His people, His property, and the vulnerable groups of people. The wicked can go about their business without any fear of God’s judgment. Are those wicked people right, then, when they say in their arrogance: “The LORD does not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed” ( ; cf. )? That the wicked can go about their business undisturbed seems to confirm their words. What can the God-fearing object to this? He does not understand how God can allow this, knowing that God will still uphold His honor. He cannot reconcile this. In the age of grace in which we live, “he who now restrains” ( ), that is the Holy Spirit, is still present to stop the full revelation of evil. When soon the church is taken up, the Holy Spirit also no longer dwells on earth. Then evil will be able to run rampant. During that time, the remnant of Israel will be severely persecuted by their own king, the antichrist. It can be compared to David who was persecuted by Saul and later by Absalom.

‏ Psalms 94:6

Introduction

In Psalms 94-101 we have a review to the time of the great tribulation, just before the appearing of Christ. It is the time when the antichrist is king in Israel, the Jewish temple is rebuilt, and the believing Jews are persecuted. The remnant suffers greatly from injustice during the reign of the antichrist. They cry out to the LORD for help. Psalm 94 puts into words the feelings of this faithful remnant.

The Lord Jesus describes this situation in Luke 18 in the parable of the unjust judge (Lk 18:1-8). Psalm 94 specifically describes the widow’s request for justice to be done to her (Lk 18:3).

This psalm was sung – according to Jewish tradition – by the priests while Nebuchadnezzar’s soldiers were busy destroying the temple.

Call to Render Recompense

The psalmist cries out to the “God of vengeance” (Psa 94:1). By “vengeance” we should not think of angry, bitter feelings but of a hunger and thirst for justice (Mt 5:6; Rev 6:9-10). Justice means that God must repay the evil deeds of the enemy in order to redeem His people (Psa 18:47-48). The Hebrew word for vengeance, naqam, means an action in which the victim is protected and the perpetrators are punished. The name “God of vengeance [or: retribution]” occurs twice in this verse to underline it.

The call to the God of vengeance involves asking God to avenge all injustice. It is not a one-time call, but a constant one (cf. Lk 18:1 ; 7). That God is the God of vengeance also implies that He is the Only One Who has the right to exercise vengeance and no one else (Deu 32:35; Nah 1:2; Rom 12:19; 1Thes 4:6). He can, however, delegate that vengeance, setting the boundaries for it (Num 35:19-25; Jos 20:5; 2Kgs 9:7; Rom 13:4).

The call for vengeance – revenge in the sense of retribution – is appropriate for the God-fearing Jew (cf. Jer 11:20; Rev 6:9-11). The vengeance of God is the exercise of justice over the injustice that the wicked have done to God and His people. The psalmist calls that God “LORD”, appealing to God’s faithfulness to His covenant with His people Israel. For us who live in the age of grace, we will pray for those who wrong us (Mt 5:44; Lk 23:34; Acts 7:60; Rom 12:14; 1Cor 4:12).

The psalmist knows that it is not for him to exercise vengeance, but only for God to do so (cf. 1Sam 24:13). Therefore, he asks Him. Nor does he seek satisfaction for the injustice suffered, but because vengeance paves the way for the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. The request of the remnant to “shine forth” is the request to send the Messiah to deliver them from their enemies (Psa 80:1-3; cf. Deu 33:2). In the return to earth of His Son, the Messiah Jesus, God will appear shining.

Then the psalmist calls God “Judge of the earth” (Psa 94:2; Gen 18:25). The whole earth is under His authority. The “proud” have had their way for too long. Proudness is the sin of the devil (1Tim 3:6). The antichrist, called the wicked, is prideful (Psa 10:2) by exalting himself to a god (2Thes 2:4). In the pride of Herod we see a type of the pride of the antichrist (Acts 12:22-23). The proud and wicked in Psa 94:2-3 refer to the antichrist and his followers.

It is high time for the Judge to exalt Himself, to rise up, to show His judicial majesty and “render recompense”. The proud have all along been pretending to be ‘judge of the earth’, denying God (see the explanation at Psalm 82:1). This evil has its own ‘reward’ and that is the judgment of God.

That God will act is not a question for the psalmist. But when will He do so (Psa 94:3)? “How long” will God tolerate the wicked going about their business undisturbed (cf. Psa 17:9-14 ; Psa 92:7)? It seems as if there is no end to their proud behavior. How long will He just sit and watch? They have all the fun in the world and God does not halt them. How often do we have that thought too?

There is reason enough to give them the deserved reward of judgment. The psalmist points out to God a number of things. First, he points to their mouths. Their mouths “pour forth [words], they speak arrogantly” (Psa 94:4; cf. Pro 15:2b ; 28b). They boast of the injustice they do, which allows them to afford the luxurious life they live (Psa 73:3-12).

He lists some of the acts of injustice they do and points them out to the “LORD”:

1. “They crush Your people” (Psa 94:5; cf. Mt 24:9-22). The wicked are violating the people who are His, the people He has chosen to be His people. They crush them, trample them underfoot. And yet they are His people, the people of whom He is King. What king does not stand up for his people?

2. They “afflict Your heritage”. The wicked take away freedom from the LORD’s heritage, from what belongs to Him. A Jew’s possessions, such as the land, are the heritage of the LORD (Lev 25:23). “They”, that is prophetically the antichrist and his followers, are oppressing those whom He has delivered from bondage to be His heritage. Why does He allow this to happen without intervening?

3. And surely He must also see what the wicked do to “the widow and the stranger” and the “orphans”: they slay and murder them (Psa 94:6). These crimes prove a special heartlessness and cruelty. The widow, stranger and orphan are extremely vulnerable people. They often have little more than their lives. Toward them, the wicked prove that they are not only out to increase their possessions, but that they act out of murderous lust.

In this light, what James writes prophetically about them in his letter is appealing: “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of [our] God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress” (Jam 1:27a). It is not a call to visit them for a chat, but to visit them in view of their needs.

The psalmist’s vexing question in connection with this is: where is the LORD’s care for these defenseless people? After all, He has specifically guaranteed Himself for them (Deu 10:17-18; Psa 68:5). However, He seems to be indifferent to what is being done to His people, His property, and the vulnerable groups of people. The wicked can go about their business without any fear of God’s judgment.

Are those wicked people right, then, when they say in their arrogance: “The LORD does not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed” (Psa 94:7; cf. Psa 73:11)? That the wicked can go about their business undisturbed seems to confirm their words. What can the God-fearing object to this? He does not understand how God can allow this, knowing that God will still uphold His honor. He cannot reconcile this.

In the age of grace in which we live, “he who now restrains” (2Thes 2:7), that is the Holy Spirit, is still present to stop the full revelation of evil. When soon the church is taken up, the Holy Spirit also no longer dwells on earth. Then evil will be able to run rampant. During that time, the remnant of Israel will be severely persecuted by their own king, the antichrist. It can be compared to David who was persecuted by Saul and later by Absalom.