Psalm 94 - God's Got This
- Chad Werkhoven
- 1 hour ago
- 5 min read
Know that you have solid support in a slippery world.
Psalm 94
1 The LORD is a God who avenges.
O God who avenges, shine forth.
2 Rise up, Judge of the earth;
pay back to the proud what they deserve.
3 How long, LORD, will the wicked,
how long will the wicked be jubilant?
4 They pour out arrogant words;
all the evildoers are full of boasting.
5 They crush your people, LORD;
they oppress your inheritance.
6 They slay the widow and the foreigner;
they murder the fatherless.
7 They say, “The LORD does not see;
the God of Jacob takes no notice.”
8 Take notice, you senseless ones among the people;
you fools, when will you become wise?
9 Does he who fashioned the ear not hear?
Does he who formed the eye not see?
10 Does he who disciplines nations not punish?
Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge?
11 The LORD knows all human plans;
he knows that they are futile.
12 Blessed is the one you discipline, LORD,
the one you teach from your law;
13 you grant them relief from days of trouble,
till a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the LORD will not reject his people;
he will never forsake his inheritance.
15 Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.
16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?
17 Unless the LORD had given me help,
I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
your unfailing love (ḥěʹ·sěḏ), LORD, supported me.
19 When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought me joy.
20 Can a corrupt throne be allied with you—
a throne that brings on misery by its decrees?
21 The wicked band together against the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the LORD has become my fortress,
and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.
23 He will repay them for their sins
and destroy them for their wickedness;
the LORD our God will destroy them.
Canons of Dordt
Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints
Article 10 & 11 - Assurance Despite Doubts
Accordingly, our assurance
does not derive from some private revelation beyond or outside the Word,
but
from faith in the promises of God which he has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort,
from the testimony of the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children and heirs (Rom. 8:16-17),
and finally from a serious and holy pursuit of a clear conscience and of good works.
And if God’s chosen ones in this world
did not have this well-founded comfort
that the victory will be theirs
and this reliable guarantee of eternal glory,
they would be of all people most miserable.
Meanwhile, Scripture testifies that
believers
have to contend in this life with various doubts of the flesh
and that under severe temptation they do not always experience this full assurance of faith and certainty of perseverance.
But God, the Father of all comfort,
does not let them be tempted beyond what they can bear,
but with the temptation he also provides a way out (1 Cor. 10:13), and by the Holy Spirit revives in them the assurance of their perseverance.
Summary
I'll bet that if you were pulled aside before reading Psalm 95 today and asked to jot down what God does, your answer would be different from the psalmist's here in Psalm 95. Not wrong - just different. You'd write down how He loves, cares and provides for all things. You might even note that He is working out all things for the good of those who love Him.
Of course you'd be right about all of that, but it's good to be reminded of an aspect of God that we don't focus on enough: The LORD is a God who avenges. Other translations simply address this prayer to the LORD, God of vengeance. Psalm 95 reminds us that not only will God make all things right, but that He'll get His revenge. This is why, as Romans 12:19 teaches, you don't need to seek revenge, for the LORD has said "It is mine to avenge; I will repay."
You likely knew this about God, but it's so hard to hold on to this truth when all around the wicked pour out arrogant words and all the evildoers are full of boasting. It does often seem like the LORD does not see and the God of Jacob takes no notice.
But Psalm 94 sardonically sets us straight: Does He who fashioned the ear not hear? Does He who formed the eye not see? Not only does God know of this world's oppression and brokenness, but He will be your fortress and the rock in whom you can take refuge. Be confident that the LORD will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness.
Dig Deeper
Almost everyone, whatever their level of Biblical literacy, is familiar with the Beatitudes that Jesus spoke at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, where He makes nine statements that begin with blessed are the... . But Matthew 5 isn't the only place in the Bible that we read beatitudes; in fact there's one right smack in the middle of Psalm 95:
12 Blessed is the one you discipline, LORD...
Ironically, even as the valley you walk through becomes so darkened by the consequences of sin that it causes you to doubt and lose your assurance, you are being blessed! Because even though you might not always feel it, you know that the LORD will not reject His people; He will never forsake His inheritance. As the LORD once again grants you relief from days of trouble, your confidence and assurance will be far more stronger than when the trial began.
Even the psalmist's foot slipped, just like yours and mine so often do. But along with the psalmist, you can be absolutely certain that as your foot is slipping, the LORD supports you with His ḥěʹ·sěḏ - that is, is His unfailing covenant love.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the LORD that is a God who avenges;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will know that the LORD will not reject His people even when you don't feel it;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 5
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