Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 94
The xciv. PSALM.
In some very heavie pressure that lay upon the people of God in generall, by by the heathens, or else upon the faithfull under the wicked Kings and Iudges of Israel, this Psalm seems to be made, wherein God is earnestly called upon to take off the yoke which lay so heavily upon them by the tyrannie and persecution of bloudie and … hemous wretches, whom be counsells to do better; and from their abuse of Gods own clemencie to their own perdition, shews the blessed estate of Gods own people, because of Gods fatherly chastisements. He acknowledgeth God for his sole support, which is his comfort when he is at a loss, and is confident God will not always suffer tyrants to sit in his seat, and rule over his Church, but that he will find a time to judge them,Psalm xciv. and deliver her out of their hands.
1O Lord God, to to whom vengeance belongeth: O God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self.1, 2 O Almightie and righteous Lord God, who hast power, and to whom of right it belongs to revenge the injuries & oppressions of thy Church, appear in her behalf,2Lift up thy self thou Judge of the earth, …ender a reward to the proud. so that both she and her oppressours may see thou doest so. Let her proud insulting enemies feellingly find that thou that art judge of all the earth, favourest her cause and doest her right upon them.
3Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?3, 4 Lord, it is not without cause that we crie to thee, for as our pressures have been very great, so they have been very long.4How shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquitie boast themselves. The wicked have had a long reign, and lorded it with a witness over the good, and by reason of thy delay they glory in their doings, as if either thou couldst not or wouldst not punish them. And what they think they stick not to speak, even blasphemies against thee, and cruelties against us, and the more wickedness they commit, the more they give themselves content, boasting one to another, and vying one with another who can do most mischief, thy impunitie being their immunitie.
5, 6 They make pot-sheards of thy people,5They break in pieces thy people, O Lord: and afflict thine heritage. O Lord, loading them with such merciless oppressions and afflictions, even thine own chosen and peculiar heritage,6They slay the widow and the stranger: and murther the fatherless. and that because they are so, as they break their very hearts, and leave them not the name or face of a people scarce upon earth, destroying all before them, mercilesly breaking all laws humane and divine, respecting neither age nor sex, pitying none in any kind or condition, though never such objects of compassion.
7 And so hardened are they in their wicked courses,7Yet they say, The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. and so presumptious by thy forbearance, that they are confident thou regardest not what they do to thy people, nor never will call them to account for it, making a very aw-word of the God of Jacob.
8 Be men of more understanding,8Understand, ye bruitish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? than to harbour such vain thoughts of so great a God, ye, that though ye be heads and chief among the vulgar, yet are as void of understanding and true judgement, as the common people themselves; be not still so foolish to persist in wickedness, provoking the Lord, but consider that the end must needs be bad, and that you will repent when it is too late.
9 For weigh with your selves whether it be reasonable to think,9He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? that you can either act such things or speak such words, and God not see nor hear them that gives ears and eyes to all men living, shall the authour of those senses be senseless?
10He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?10 He that is Judge of all the earth and punisheth the very heathens for their exorbitancies and unjust oppressions among themselves, shall not he much more be righteous to revenge the wrongs done to his own people? and have you such mean thoughts of God, as to judge him any thing less than omniscient? think you to escape or deceive him that gives you your selves the knowledge you have, and all men else?
11The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanitie.11 The Lord very well knows what vain and wicked thoughts men naturally have of him, how they abuse his clemencie, as if he neither saw, heard, regarded, nor will judge them for their wickedness, because he delays to do it.
12Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord: and teachest him out of thy law.12 Therefore what ever the world think of the godly under afflictions, yet blessed is the man that is so much favoured of God, as to be chastised for his faults, and admonished of his dutie to Gods commandments, whilst he suffers others to run riot without check or control.
13That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversitie, untill the pit be digged for the wicked.13 That he may make him meet for the inheritance of the saints, prepare him for heaven, which shall be the end of his course, which is accompanied with sorrows, as hell shall be of the wicked when they are prepared for it by a consummation of the number and measure of their sins, by their libertie of sinning.
14For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.14 For whatever we through shortness of spirit, and impatience under afflictions may think of God, as if he had disregarded his people, yet its nothing so, God may cast them into afflictions, but not because he rejects them, but because he loves them, he will find a time to make it appear so, that for all that, nay, that therefore he is their God, and they his dearly beloved, because he doth afflict them, when as he saves them by it, suffering others to go to hell for want of it.
15 But how ever things seem to be topsi-turvie,15But judgement shall return unto righteousness, and the upright in heart shall follow it. the wicked a top of the wheel, and the good under it, yet there is a time when the world shall be set right again, each man shall be paid his wages, God shall take the government into his hands, whereas now the reins seem to be let loose, and in righteousness judge the good and the bad, which is the time that all upright-hearted sincere Godly-ones long for, and in hope of it shall notwithstanding, all obstructions, follow it in the way of pietie.
16 Who is there beside thee,16Who will rise up for me against the evil doers? or who will stand with me against the workers of iniquitie. O Lord willing or able to deliver me from under this tyrannicall oppression of wicked workers, surely none in all the world. If thou doest not save me, I perish.
17 Yea,17Unless the Lord had been my help my soul had dwelt in silence. hadst not thou when time was been a present help, so near was I to destruction, I had certainly died, and been silent in the grave instead of being now speaking to thee, and praising of thee.
18 When I concluded with my self,18When I said my foot slippeth: Thy merciemercy, O Lord, held me up. there was no way but death, then of a sudden beyond expectation in so eminent a danger, did thy merciemercy appear to my wonderfull preservation and deliverance.
19 When I was at the fullest of anxious cares,19In the multitude of the thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul. and troublous thoughts were revolved in my breast, by reason of my desperate condition what would become of me, then when I but cast the eys of my mind upon thine all-sufficiencie and faithfulness, I was presently quieted, and never am so deep plunged in sorrow but these bladders bear me up again, and make my joy and hope surmount them.
20Shall the throne of iniquitie have fellowship with thee: which frameth mischief by a law?20 Lord, wilt thou that art the Judge of all the World not judge righteously? shall the wicked scape thee, as they do the corrupt Judges here on earth? No thou wilt not suffer tyrants and persecutors of thy people always to rule over them in thy stead, whose King thou properly art, such as make laws flat against thine, enact sin, and legitimate their unjust and mischievous practises against thy people.
21They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous; & condemn the innocent bloud.21 They conspire and plot the destruction of the righteous, yea, sit in judgement upon the godly as upon malefactours, and right or wrong condemn them to death, though they can find no just accusation against them.
22But the Lord is my defence: and my God is the rock of my refuge.22 But maugre the malice and injustice of mine enemies, I doubt not of defence from them, I have found God an al-sufficient refuge and safe hiding-place, and my faith is in him as it was, therefore I fear not but to find him the same God now, as ever heretofore in my defence and preservation.
23And he shall bring upon them their own iniquitie, and shall cut them off in their own wickednes: yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off23 Yea, he shall compass my deliverance, and the deliverance of his Church by her enemies confusion, their fall shall be her rise, what they purpose against Gods people shall redound upon themselves to their own mortal wounding, this our good and Almightie Lord God is able to do, and to the glorie of his faithfulness and praise of his power, he shall effect it to all mens admiration.