Psalms 94 · The Lantern

The LORD Will Not Forget His People

God of vengeances, LORD — God of vengeances, shine forth!

Lift yourself up, judge of the earth; return a recompense on the proud.

How long will the wicked, LORD — how long will the wicked exult?

We have discussed the prayer of holy Job; now let us approach that prayer that we have found in the psalms. David spoke out in many passages in regard to worldly vanity; he often asserted that the supposed goods of this world were vain, especially in the thirty-eighth psalm, in which he says, "And indeed all things are vanity, every one living.

"How long, O Lord, the sinners — how long shall the sinners glory?" Human impatience does not want God to have patience. Wretched are we, who want God to be patient toward us and impatient toward our enemies. Whenever we sin, we desire him to be patient; but whenever someone offends against us, we do not want God to be patient toward that man.

"Lord, how long shall the ungodly, how long shall the ungodly triumph?" [Psalm 94:3]. "They answer, and will speak wickedness, they all will speak that work unrighteousness" [Psalm 94:4]. What is their saying, but against God, when they say: What profits it us that we live thus? What will you reply? Does God truly regard our deeds?

They pour out, they speak insolence; all the workers of iniquity boast of themselves.

They crush your people, LORD, and they afflict your inheritance.

They kill the widow and the sojourner, and they murder the fatherless.

And they say, “The LORD does not see, and the God of Jacob does not understand.”

Understand, you brutish among the people; and you fools, when will you act wisely?

He who plants the ear — does he not hear? Or he who forms the eye — does he not look?

He who disciplines the nations — does he not rebuke? He who teaches mankind knowledge?

"He who chastises the nations, shall he not reprove?" He who teaches others, does he then himself not know? "He who teaches man knowledge." It is understood: does he then himself not have knowledge?

So this Peter, playing the great part I have suggested to you, is questioned by the Lord after the resurrection, as we had it read to us, and he said to him, "Simon of John"—you see, he was called Simon when he was born; he was the son of John—"Simon of John, do you love me more than these?" Who is doing the questioning? The one who knew everything.

"He who chastises the nations, shall he not rebuke, he who teaches man knowledge?" The Psalm of David says that the great teacher of knowledge is God. You know that if someone must draw water, he more willingly draws it from its original source than from a rivulet.

The LORD knows the thoughts of mankind, that they are a breath.

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. [Psalms 94:11] Therefore let no man glory in men.

"The Lord knows the thoughts of men, that they are vain." We read in a secular poet: "O the cares of men, O how much emptiness there is in things!" Both the Gentiles and the philosophers lift this little verse to heaven. And what do they say? Nothing could be said more prudently. Behold, our rustic Hebrew, so many ages before, spoke this. And what did he say?

"The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are but vain" [Psalm 94:11]. For although you know not the thoughts of God, that they are righteous; "He knows the thoughts of man, that they are but vain." Even men have known the thoughts of God: but those to whom He has become a friend, it is to them He shows His counsel.

Happy is the man whom the LORD disciplines, and whom you teach from your instruction,

"Blessed is the man whom you shall instruct, O Lord." Happy is he who has God as his teacher. "And whom you shall teach out of your law: that you may soften for him the evil days." See what he says. "Blessed is the man whom you shall instruct, O Lord, and whom you shall teach out of your law" — that is, out of your Scriptures.

"Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Lord: and teachest him from Your law" [Psalm 94:12]. Behold, you have the counsel of God, wherefore He spares the wicked: the pit is being dug for the sinner. You wish to bury him at once: the pit is as yet being dug for him: do not be in haste to bury him. What mean the words, "until the pit be dug up for the sinner"?

And again, in another place, he [David] ascribeth blessedness to the man who feareth God, and he maketh known what good things the fear of God worketh in him that feareth [Him], saying, "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord", and here the fearer of God is accounted blessed.

to give him quiet from the days of evil, until a pit is dug for the wicked.

For the LORD will not abandon his people, and he will not forsake his inheritance.

For judgment will return to righteousness, and after it all the upright of heart.

Who will rise for me against evildoers? Who will take a stand for me against the workers of iniquity?

If the LORD had not been a help for me, my soul would soon have dwelt in silence.

If I said, “My foot has slipped,” your loyal love, LORD, would support me.

In the multitude of my anxious thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul.

Can a throne of destructions be joined to you, one that forms trouble by statute?

They band together against the life of the righteous, and they condemn innocent blood.

But the LORD has become a high tower for me, and my God the rock of my refuge.

And he has returned their iniquity upon them, and by their own evil he will destroy them; the LORD our God will destroy them.

Psalms94

The LORD Will Not Forget His People