Psalm 94 - 10.14.22

Scripture - What stood out?

Psalm 94:1,2

The Lord is a God who avenges.

    O God who avenges, shine forth.

Rise up, Judge of the earth;

    pay back to the proud what they deserve.

Observation - What does it say?

A psalm about the evildoer who has oppressed the God following psalmist and his people. The psalmist cries out to God to right the scales of justice, to deliver his righteous people from the wicked. And to mete out to the unjust what they deserve.

Understanding - What does it mean?

‘How do you feel when you read bible verses about the God of vengeance?’ I asked my wife.

‘I don’t know, I guess I have struggled with it in the past.’

‘Yea, same here. I have a hard time believing that the same God who tells us to love one another is the same God that the psalmist is crying out to for vengeance.’

Deborah and I started our day this morning reading Your word together and openly talking to one another about how we felt about it. Lord, I don’t know what the psalmist was going through. I don’t know the difference between Sodom and Nineveh. All I know is I have come to trust you even more than before. 

You have granted me this amazing victory in my own heart over this past month and a half and I don’t want to let go. You have taught me to love others, how to love my enemies (in the workplace no less!).

‘Maybe the correct heart response isn’t so much that I want vengeance, but that I trust the Perfect Judge will figure it out. You don’t understand how freeing it has been for me to let go of all the stress my co-workers inflict on me and instead replace it with love for them. Maybe what I am asking for is no different from the psalmist here. I am trusting God will take care of me and whatever enemies I have. My job then remains the same, fill my heart with love for God and love for others,’ I presented to my wife.

‘Yea I think you are on to something.’

Life Application - How can I apply this to my life today?

Thank you God for allowing me to marry a woman I can have frank conversations with about You and Your word! 

Father God, thank you for being a perfect and just God. Thank you for being a God who upholds the righteous, a God who loves those who love You. I put my trust in you no matter what. I believe You are the author of creation. I believe you know our hearts better than anyone else. I trust you Lord. I love you Lord. I pray for those who are for and against You. I put my faith in You. Help me to build that faith in You Lord. I trust that you will be the one to protect me. And I trust that you will be the one to deliver me from my enemies. I love you, Lord.

In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.

-kenneth lee