Psalms 94 WBT
Summary: A prayer for justice opening with an urgent appeal to God's role as judge: "O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth... shew thyself" (v. 1-2), against oppressors who slay the widow, the stranger, and the fatherless while assuming God takes no notice. The psalmist rebukes this assumption directly — "He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?" (v. 9) — insisting divine justice cannot ultimately be evaded. It shifts to personal comfort, recalling times when "in the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul" (v. 19), and closes confident that "the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge" (v. 22).
1O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself.
2Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.
3LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
4[How long] shall they utter [and] speak hard things? [and] all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
5They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thy heritage.
6They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
7Yet they say, The LORD will not see, neither will the God of Jacob regard [it].
8Understand, ye brutish among the people: and [ye] fools, when will ye be wise?
9He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
10He that chastiseth the heathen, shall he not correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, [shall he not know]?
11The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they [are] vanity.
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.
14For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
15But judgment shall return to righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
16Who will rise up for me against the evil-doers? [or] who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
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.
20Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?
21They assemble themselves against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
22But the LORD is my defense; and my God [is] the rock of my refuge.
23And he will bring upon them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness; [yes], the LORD our God will cut them off.
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