Psalms Chapter 94

“O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth, etc.] As it does to God, and to him only; not to Heathen deities, one of which has the name of Vengeance given it, (<442804>Acts 28:4), nor to Satan, the enemy and avenger, and his spiteful principalities and powers; nor to men, who are not to exercise private revenge on their fellow creatures; only to civil magistrates, to whom public revenge belongs, they being God’s viceregents, and representing him; otherwise to God only it belongs, against whom sin is committed; and he will, in his own time and way, execute it; he is “the God of revenges” f1339, as the words may be…”

“David (Heb 4:7) exhorts men to praise God for His greatness, and warns them, in God's words, against neglecting His service. (Psa 95:1-11) The terms used to express the highest kind of joy. rock--a firm basis, giving certainty of salvation (Psa 62:7).”

“O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth ... - Margin, God of revenges The idea is, that it pertains to God to take vengeance, or to punish for crimes. See the notes at Romans 12:19. The appeal here is made to God in view of the crimes committed by others, and which are referred to in the subsequent part of the psalm. God is addressed as having the right to restrain and punish wicked people, and he is asked to interpose and assert that right in a case which clearly demanded it. The appeal is repeated to make it emphatic, or to denote “earnestness” in the petition. Show thyself - Margin, as in Hebrew, “shine…”

“Utter - Or pour forth freely, constantly, abundantly, as a fountain doth waters (so this Hebrew word signifies.) Hard things - Insolent, and intolerable words against thee and thy people. Psalms 94:7”

“Ps 94 This plea for the Lord’s justice includes both communal and individual expressions of lament (94:1-7, 16-23). The psalmist gives voice to the pain and suffering caused by the wicked, but he also depicts the comfort and stability of the Lord’s protection. He calls on the Lord to avenge the needy against the arrogant and foolish, he rebukes such people for their folly (94:8-11), and he pronounces a blessing on the wise (94:12-15). 94:1-7 After the community falls victim to the wicked (94:5-7), they pray that the Lord will render justice (see 7:11; 9:12).”

“am 3416, bc 588 (Title), Dr. Delaney supposes that this Psalm was written by David on occasion of his war with the Ammonites, in consequence of the indignities shewn to his messengers; but it is more probable that it was written to bewail the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. God, to whom vengeance belongeth: Heb. God of revenges, O God. Deu 32:35, Deu 32:41, Deu 32:42; Isa 35:4, Isa 59:17; Jer 50:28; Nah 1:2; Rom 12:19; Th2 1:8; Heb 10:30 show thyself: Heb. shine forth, Psa 80:1 Psalms 94:2”

“The first strophe prays that God would at length put a judicial restraint upon the arrogance of ungodliness. Instead of חופיע (a less frequent form of the imperative for הופע, Ges. ֗53, rem. 3) it was perhaps originally written הופיעה ( Psa 80:2), the He of which has been lost owing to the He that follows. The plural נקמות signifies not merely single instances of taking vengeance ( Eze 25:17, cf. supra Psa 18:48), but also intensively complete revenge or recompense ( Jdg 11:36; Sa2 4:8). The designation of God is similar to אל גּמלות in Jer 51:56, and the anadiplosis is like Psa 94:3, Psa 94:23, Psa 93:1, Psa…”