Psa. 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
The LORD is reference to the Hebrew YHWH, the eternal, self-existent Supreme Being, and the Psalmist is declaring the truth that He alone occupies the throne of authority. He is the King of kings. What a comfort that is to this child of God, especially today (January 2021).
Spurgeon: “Whatever turmoil and rebellion there may be beneath the clouds, the eternal King sits above all in supreme serenity; and everywhere he is really Master, let his foes rage as they may. All things are ordered according to his eternal purposes, and his will is done.”
The phrase “he is clothed with majesty” to me is a reference to His character and attributes, all of which speak of excellence and authority and inspire awe and reverence. The Hebrew for strength made reference to “force, security, majesty and praise.” Everything about Him inspires confidence and trust and is deserving of praise. Point is made that it is YHWH that has clothed Himself; His clothing, His character, is part of Who He Is.
The world is a reference to the earth and its inhabitants. God is the Creator of heaven and earth; He is the one through whom all things are held together. He has fixed the position of the earth, and no created thing or being can move it. In fact, it is positioned as the footstool to His throne.
Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool….”
The only one with authority to change its position is the Creator Himself.
Psa. 93:2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.
From man’s viewpoint God’s throne was established, firmly fixed from old; the Hebrew includes from the beginning. The person of God, however, is from everlasting—outside of time, without beginning or end, and (my personal favorite) time out of mind (past or future). The throne wasn’t necessary until He decided to create.
Psa. 93:3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.
Psa. 93:4 The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
The Hebrew for floods is a reference to the rivers and seas. The waves are the recognized voice of the waters. The crashing of the waves on the seashore is a powerful sound and possesses great power. The greater the waves, the greater their sound and power. The tsunami of December 2004 was a great example of that power. The Psalmist declares that YHWH has a voice of greater might and power than those awesome waves.
Psa. 93:5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.
Testimony is a reference to witness given and “declaration or affirmation made for the purpose of establishing or proving some fact” (according to Webster). God has given powerful testimony or witness to the surety of His Word. He has declared things in advance and proven the truth of those declarations through future action. In fact, He declares that this ability is what sets Him apart as God, the One and Only.
Isaiah 48:1-5 “Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name. I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.”
Holiness is a reference to that which is clean and pure. The Hebrew for house gives reference to the family. God’s family is holy; He ensures that by imputing His righteousness to those who have faith in Him.
2Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
The sacrifice of Jesus made this righteousness available to every person of faith since Adam.
Romans 3:22 “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference….”
Becometh makes reference to that which is suitable or worthy of the circumstances—living in the presence of God.
Point is made that God’s family is an eternal family. It’s beyond my real comprehension. I can only think of it as time without end. It’s a family that will be unified in love and pure of heart without jealousy. I can’t wait!!
Psalms 94:1 ¶ O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.
Psalms 94:2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.
Obviously, this psalm begins with no title, instruction or note of authorship. John Gill makes this observation: “Some, as Jarchi and others, think this psalm was written by Moses; others, with greater probability, assign it to David; as do the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions; and which all but the Syriac version say it was composed to be sung on the fourth day of the week, on which day the Talmudists say it was sung….”
As is often the case with those that follow the LORD, the Psalmist is perplexed as to why the LORD is allowing the wicked to prosper at the expense of those that follow Him.
In his opening statement, the Psalmist acknowledges that vengeance is God’s prerogative.
Psalms 94:1 “O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.”
Romans 12:19 “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
In light of that truth, he is pleading with God, the sovereign judge of earth, to intervene and render justice to these arrogant evildoers.
Spurgeon’s comment is just as valid today as he thought it in his day: “Truly in these evil days we need a manifest display of his power, for the ancient enemies of God and man are again struggling for the mastery, and if they gain it, woe unto the saints of God.”
Psalms 94:3 LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
Psalms 94:4 How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
I can relate to the heart of the Psalmist as he questions how long God is going to let the wicked continue to triumph and get away with their impudence and boasting.
Psalms 94:5 They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.
Psalms 94:6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
Psalms 94:7 Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.
The Psalmist is distressed at how the wicked are inflicting suffering on God’s people. They even stoop so low as to take the lives of the helpless and needy, all the while thinking that the LORD God of Jacob can’t see—and even if He can, He does not care.
The Bible is ever clear that the people of God will endure suffering and tribulation in this world. The LORD has promised to be with us through such times, and He will always turn that experience to good. Our suffering will be more than compensated for in our eternal future, and our death immediately ushers us into that future.
John 16:33 “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Matthew 28:18 & 20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth….I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
2 Corinthians 4:17 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory….”
2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
Psalms 94:8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?
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?
The Psalmist questions when these stupid (from Hebrew for “brutish”) and silly people will wise up. The God that created the ear and the eye both hears and sees. He chastises, punishes, reforms and corrects nations and individuals. He is the source of knowledge; He knows everything.
Psalms 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
The LORD even knows the very thoughts of man; they are vain and intent on leading others astray (from the Hebrew), away from the things of God.
Psalms 94:12 ¶ Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
Psalms 94:13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.
The Psalmist declares that the man that God chastens and teaches His law is blessed and happy.
Hebrews 12:5–6 “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”
Spurgeon: “The afflicted believer is under tuition, he is in training for something higher and better, and all that he meets with is working out his highest good, therefore is he a blessed man, however much his outward circumstances may argue the reverse.”
The man who follows God in faith will inherit an eternal rest while the wicked will suffer in an opened (from Hebrew for “digged”) pit (hell) for eternity.
Isaiah 14:15 “Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”
Ezekiel 31:16 “I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit….”
Psalms 94:14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
Psalms 94:15 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
The Psalmist is confident that the LORD will never forsake His people, the descendants of Abraham through Jacob. Inheritance is a reference to possession. The LORD declared through Moses that the people of Israel were His special possession among the nations on planet earth.
Deuteronomy 32:8–9 “When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.”
He is confident that the time is coming when righteousness will rule to the benefit of God’s people. Though referencing the people of Israel in context, the application is valid to all those that are followers of God.
Psalms 94:16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
The Psalmist continues to struggle in spite of his faith—and don’t we all. He wonders who is going to show up in his defense against the wicked.
Psalms 94:17 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
Psalms 94:18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
He realizes that without the LORD, he would have died. He found strength and comfort in God’s lovingkindness and mercy.
Psalms 94:19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.
I liked the NLT for this verse: “When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”
We believers are so blessed today to have the presence of the Holy Spirit within us to provide comfort and strength!
John 14:16–17 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
Ephesians 3:14–16 “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man….”
Spurgeon: “How sweet are the comforts of the Spirit! Who can muse upon eternal love, immutable purposes, covenant promises, finished redemption, the risen Saviour, his union with his people, the coming glory, and such like themes, without feeling his heart leaping with joy?"
Psalms 94:20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?
I liked the NIV for this verse: “Can a corrupt throne be allied with you — one that brings on misery by its decrees?”
The obvious answer is “no.” However, we have to remember that God sometimes uses wicked rulers to judge nations. When He does, the results always align with His will; however, they are still held accountable for their wickedness. They are acting according to their own choosing Example:
Isaiah 10:5-6 & 12 “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets….Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.”
Spurgeon re “which frameth mischief by a law” - “They legalise robbery and violence, and then plead that it is the law of the land; and so indeed it may be, but it is a wickedness for all that.”
That observation certainly resonates with my heart today (January 2021). It grieves me to watch as the wicked are gaining in power and doing just that in America today. Christians need to understand that “we ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29) when “laws” are enacted that are intended for evil purposes that go against the word of God.
Psalms 94:21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
These corrupt men band together to oppose the righteous and make trouble for the innocent.
I think that truth is quite evident in our daily news in America today. I am amazed at the lengths to which people will go as they band together to act against those that don't agree with their agenda and those that stand for the truth of God’s word.
Psalms 94:22 But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
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.
The Psalmist closes on a high note. He claims the LORD God as his refuge and strong shelter. He is confident that God will judge the wicked and destroy them in their sin.