The prophet, calling for justice, complains of tyranny and impiety, 1-7. He teaches God's providence, 8-11. He shows the blessedness of affliction, 12-15. God is the defender of the afflicted, 16-23.
1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongs,/
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, show yourself.
2 Lift up yourself, judge of the earth./
Render a reward to the proud.
3 LORD, 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?
5 They break your people in pieces, O LORD,/
and afflict your heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger/
and murder the fatherless.
7 Yet they say, "The LORD will not see,/
neither will the God of Jacob regard it."
8 Understand, you brutish among the people./
And you fools, when will you be wise?
9 He who planted the ear, shall he not hear?/
He who formed the eye, shall he not see?
10 He who chastises the heathen, shall he not correct?/
He who teaches man knowledge, shall he not know?
11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man,/
that they are vanity.
12 Blessed is the man whom you chasten, O LORD,/
and teach him out of your law,
13 So that you may give him rest from the days of adversity/
until the pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the LORD will not cast off his people,/
neither will he forsake his inheritance.
15 But judgment shall return to righteousness,/
and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
16 Who will rise up for me against the evil-doers?/
Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the LORD had been my help,/
my soul would have almost dwelt in silence.
18 When I said, "My foot slips,"/
your mercy, O LORD, held me up.
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me,/
your comforts delight my soul.
20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with you,/
which frames mischief by a law?
21 They assemble themselves against the soul of the righteous/
and condemn the innocent blood.
22 But the LORD is my defense,/
and my God is the rock of my refuge.
23 And he will bring upon them their own iniquity/
and will cut them off in their own wickedness./
Indeed, the LORD our God will cut them off.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Psalms, Chapter 94[➚]
John Calvin's Chapter Summary:
The Psalmist implores Divine assistance against wicked and violent men, who persecuted the upright in a cruel and tyrannical manner. It is evident that he refers to domestic foes, whose unrighteous domination was as vexatious and oppressive to the Lord's people, as all the injuries received from the Gentile nations without.
[v.11] - Quoted in 1st Corinthians 3:20.
[v.12] - Reference, Deuteronomy 8:5; Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:5-7; Revelation 3:19.
[v.14] - Quoted in Romans 11:2.