This is not a random Psalm I picked out to fit a message. The message of this Psalm was picked out to fit me. Our women’s ministry has been reading through the Psalms every day for three months, and today was Psalm 94. God knew exactly what his word would contain and when we would read this timely chapter.
I pray you are in the word so the Lord might filter everything you see and hear and scroll through his Truth.
Psalm 94 dissects the disgusting anatomy of injustice. Put on your mask and look inside. Here’s what it looks like:
- Psalm 94:2— “They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.” The wicked speak arrogantly. They spray others down with their prideful boats in person and on social media.
. - Psalm 94:5 — “They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage.” The wicked hate the message of the cross and God’s people.
. - Psalm 94:6— “They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless.” The wicked crush the powerless. They press down the most vulnerable. They are utterly callous to the poor and suffering.
. - Psalm 94:7 — “They say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.” The wicked boast that God doesn’t notice or care. Nothing happened when they told that joke. Nothing happened when they posted that picture. Nothing happened when they said that word. Nothing happened when they looked away. Nothing happened when they stole. Nothing happened when they murdered. God must not care or even see.
. - Psalm 94:20 —“Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute?” Wicked rulers hide evil behind the letter of the law. The law meant to protect, they use to hold down and destroy. They try to ally themselves with God, framing injustice with law.
. - Psalm 94:21 — “They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.” They come together in wicked unity over hating the righteous and don’t stop until he’s dead.
That is evil. That is sin. But for the cross, that is you and it’s me. This Psalmist from thousands of years ago may as well have been a bystander in the Powderhorn community of Minneapolis on May 25th filming George Floyd’s death. The wickedness of racism is almost as old as sin itself. It can only be defeated by One who is of old. From everlasting to everlasting, our God reigns, and he is able to defeat it.
This is Our God from Psalm 94:
- Psalm 94:9 — “He who formed the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?” Our God sees every single act of injustice. He hears every word of hate. All of it will be paid for. Not one sin will escape punishment. The wages of every sin is death and death will be paid. It will either be paid for by Jesus on the cross or by the wicked for all eternity. He holds it all. He also sees it all.
. - Psalm 94:14 — “For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage.” It’s a promise made many times in scripture. He who was abandoned for us, never abandons his own. He never leaves. Never walks away. Never distances himself. Never checks out.
. - Psalm 94:15 — “Justice will return to the righteous and all the upright in heart will follow it.” Our God is a justice-returner. At the cross we see the perfect justice of God. All the sins of his children were placed on him — every one. All God’s wrath was poured onto Christ for our sin. We are forgiven! No wonder the children of God follow justice! They’re drawn to it. They’re compelled to speak up against evil.
. - Psalm 94:16-17 “Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.”
Our God rises up for his people. He stands up to evildoers. Here “death” is described as “land of silence.” I notice the striking contrast of the loud arrogant boasting of the wicked and the “land of silence” for soul of the sufferer. Who stands up to evil? The Lord is our help!
. - Psalm 94:23 — “The Lord our God will wipe them out.” A day is coming when the wicked won’t be scolded, protested, or arrested. They’ll be wiped out. They will suffer in eternity for every unforgiven sin— the justice of God for everyone not covered by Christ. May we cry out to God to bring more under the cross for salvation before it is too late.
The Psalmist cries, “Rise up, O judge of the Earth, repay to the proud what they deserve.” The Ancient of Days will answer. My friends are hurting. Fellow parents, fellow church members, fellow sisters in Christ. The only one able to answer them is Jesus. The only force stronger than hate is the gospel. The only thing that keeps any of us from slipping in sin is his steadfast love. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so and live so.