The psalmist looked at the corruption of those who governed the land of Israel, and his heart was in great distress. The future looked so dismal and the psalmist’s only hope was to be found in God. Lets take a moment and read Psalm 94 and see if you do not share in this prayer to God to do something about the evil actions of those who rule.
O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
Rise up, O Judge of the earth;
Render punishment to the proud.
Lord, how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?
They utter speech, and speak insolent things;
All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
They break in pieces Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.
They slay the widow and the stranger,
And murder the fatherless.
Yet they say, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”
Understand, you senseless among the people;
And you fools, when will you be wise?
He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct,
He who teaches man knowledge?
The Lord knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.
Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord,
And teach out of Your law,
That You may give him rest from the days of adversity,
Until the pit is dug for the wicked.
For the Lord will not cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.
Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
Unless the Lord had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.
If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.
In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.
Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law,
Have fellowship with You?
They gather together against the life of the righteous,
And condemn innocent blood.
But the Lord has been my defence,
And my God the rock of my refuge.
He has brought on them their own iniquity,
And shall cut them off in their own wickedness;
The Lord our God shall cut them off.
Power corrupts society when evil men become powerful. Those who ruled were proud (verse 1); they were insolent and were not hesitant to show it in what they said (v. 4). The people were oppressed, and widows, orphans and strangers were often their victims (v. 6). They were workers of iniquity whose goal was to promote themselves (v. 4).
Power corrupts, but it does not matter to evil men. Their response when confronted about their actions was to say, “The Lord does not see,” and even if He does, He does not understand (v. 7). Sin often binds mankind so completely that we forget these most fundamental truths.
Power corrupts men, but God sees it all. The psalmist reminded the leaders of his day how senseless and foolish they had become. Do they not understand that God created the human ear? How could anyone say He does not hear what they are saying (v. 9)? Do they not understand the He who has the power to create the human eye sees all they are doing (v. 9)! God Almighty knows them. He knows their thoughts. He is just and will never cast off the righteous (vs. 8-14).
Power corrupts, but God some day will bring the wicked to justice. In the interim, the souls of the saints are agonized. The righteous author of this amazing psalm felt his own faith being tried and beginning to waver. He knew that unless the Lord did something he would find himself silenced, with his feet almost slipping away from God (vs. 17-18). God had been his defense in past times so he turned to God for His help (v. 22-23). He knew that in the midst of his anxiety the Comforter would bring delight to his troubled soul (v. 19).
Power corrupts, but it has no fellowship with God. Evil has within it the seeds of its own destruction. There is no way that the “throne of iniquity,” which seems often to prevail, has fellowship with God (v. 20). Our holy God cannot sit idly by, seeing evil apparently triumphing, and do nothing. Such would violate His nature.
The psalm closes with words to help us all when we see the evil deeds of those who rule us. “The Lord has been my defence, And my God the rock of my refuge. He has brought on them their own iniquity and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; The Lord shall cut them off” (vs. 22-23). When evil prevails, trust God. It is still always right to do right!
