What does Psalms 94:1 mean?
"O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself." - Psalms 94:1
Psalms 94:1 - "O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself."
The Bible verse Psalms 94:1 in the King James Version (KJV) reads, "O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself."
This verse is part of a psalm attributed to the prophet David, and it is a cry for justice in the face of oppression and wickedness. The theme of this psalm is the conflict between righteousness and wickedness, and the plea for God to vindicate and deliver the oppressed.
The psalm begins with a call for God to arise and shine forth in His power and vengeance. The repetition of the phrase "O God, to whom vengeance belongeth" emphasizes the psalmist's confidence in God's authority and ability to execute judgment. It expresses the psalmist's faith that ultimate justice rests with God, and that He will ultimately vindicate the righteous and punish the wicked.
The context of Psalm 94 is the psalmist's distress and despair over the apparent triumph of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous. The psalmist observes with bitterness the arrogance, violence, and injustice of the wicked, and laments the apparent indifference of God.
The psalmist pleads with God to intervene and to judge the wicked, to bring an end to their reign of terror and to vindicate the righteous. This sentiment reflects the human longing for justice in the face of evil and suffering, and the belief that God is the ultimate source of justice.
The imagery of God "shewing Himself" is symbolic of God's manifestation of His power and righteousness in response to the cries of His people. It signifies the psalmist's longing for God's intervention and the revelation of His justice and mercy.
The theme of divine vengeance in this verse may be difficult for modern readers to reconcile with the concept of a loving and merciful God. However, in the context of the psalm, the plea for divine vengeance is not a call for personal revenge or retaliation, but rather a cry for God to vindicate His people and to bring an end to the oppression and injustice perpetrated by the wicked.
The psalmist's call for divine vengeance serves as a reminder that God is just and that He will ultimately bring judgment upon the wicked. It also reflects the human need for a sense of justice and retribution in the face of evil and suffering.
Overall, Psalm 94:1 in the KJV conveys a profound expression of the tension between righteousness and wickedness, and the human longing for God's intervention and justice. It underscores the psalmist's faith in God's ultimate authority and power, and his confidence that God will vindicate the righteous and bring judgment upon the wicked. The verse also serves as a reminder that God's justice may not always be immediate, but His timing is perfect and His judgment is certain.
Psalms 94:1 Artwork
Psalms 94:1 - "O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself."
Psalms 94:19 - "In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul."
Psalms 94:11 - "The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity."
Psalms 94:6 - "They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless."
Psalms 94:16 - "Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?"
Psalms 94:22 - "But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge."
Psalms 94:2 - "Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud."
Psalms 94:21 - "They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood."
Psalms 94:5 - "They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage."
Psalms 94:20 - "Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?"
Psalms 94:8 - "Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?"
Psalms 94:3 - "LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?"
Psalms 94:15 - "But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it."
Psalms 94:7 - "Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it."
Psalms 119:94 - "I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts."
Psalms 94:14 - "For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance."
Psalms 94:4 - "How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?"
Psalms 94:12 - "Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;"
Psalms 94:17 - "Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence."
Psalms 94:13 - "That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked."
Psalms 94:9 - "He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?"
Psalms 94:10 - "He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?"
Psalms 94:18 - "When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up."
Psalms 94:23 - "And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off."
Psalms 128:1 - "Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways."
Psalms 122:1 - "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD."
Psalms 64:1 - "Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy."
Psalms 55:1 - "Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication."
Psalms 9:1-2
Psalms 92:1 - "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:"