Bible Commentaries
Psalms 94

Verses 1-23

XCIV. A Prayer for Vengeance on Oppressive Rulers and for Deliverance from them.

Psalms 94:1-6 . The wickedness of the arrogant. The bad rulers here are evidently Jews. They are oppressors, not invaders, and their offences against the moral law are just those which the prophets had denounced in the Israel of their day.

Psalms 94:7-11 . The practical (see on Psalms 14), not theoretical atheism of the arrogant. They thought God did not care for men’ s conduct. As if He who planted ear and eye would fail to hear and see! Only a Jew could adopt this semi-sceptical position to Israel’ s God.

Psalms 94:10 b. Emend, “ He that teacheth men— shall he be without knowledge?”

Psalms 94:12-23 . Hope of better days. He with whom evil cannot dwell, will in the end vindicate the good and destroy the wicked.

Psalms 94:13 . rest: not interior rest, but security from the calamities which will overtake the world.

Psalms 94:15 . Read, “ For authority shall return to the righteous man, And all the upright of heart shall follow him” (Syr.). Good rulers will replace the bad (Pharisees or Sadducees?) and these last shall win the loyalty of the people.