THE LORD HAS BECOME MY FORTRESS

Passage: Psalms 94:1-23

Key verse: 22

NIV

Psalm 94

1 The Lord is a God who avenges.(A)
    O God who avenges, shine forth.(B)
2 Rise up,(C) Judge(D) of the earth;
    pay back(E) to the proud what they deserve.
3 How long, Lord, will the wicked,
    how long will the wicked be jubilant?(F)

4 They pour out arrogant(G) words;
    all the evildoers are full of boasting.(H)
5 They crush your people,(I) Lord;
    they oppress your inheritance.(J)
6 They slay the widow(K) and the foreigner;
    they murder the fatherless.(L)
7 They say, “The Lord does not see;(M)
    the God of Jacob(N) takes no notice.”

8 Take notice, you senseless ones(O) among the people;
    you fools, when will you become wise?
9 Does he who fashioned the ear not hear?
    Does he who formed the eye not see?(P)
10 Does he who disciplines(Q) nations not punish?
    Does he who teaches(R) mankind lack knowledge?
11 The Lord knows all human plans;(S)
    he knows that they are futile.(T)

12 Blessed is the one you discipline,(U) Lord,
    the one you teach(V) from your law;
13 you grant them relief from days of trouble,(W)
    till a pit(X) is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not reject his people;(Y)
    he will never forsake his inheritance.
15 Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,(Z)
    and all the upright in heart(AA) will follow it.

16 Who will rise up(AB) for me against the wicked?
    Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?(AC)
17 Unless the Lord had given me help,(AD)
    I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.(AE)
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping,(AF)”
    your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
19 When anxiety(AG) was great within me,
    your consolation(AH) brought me joy.

20 Can a corrupt throne(AI) be allied with you—
    a throne that brings on misery by its decrees?(AJ)
21 The wicked band together(AK) against the righteous
    and condemn the innocent(AL) to death.(AM)
22 But the Lord has become my fortress,
    and my God the rock(AN) in whom I take refuge.(AO)
23 He will repay(AP) them for their sins
    and destroy(AQ) them for their wickedness;
    the Lord our God will destroy them.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Lord Will Not Forsake His People

94 O Lord, God of (A)vengeance,
    O God of vengeance, (B)shine forth!
2 (C)Rise up, O (D)judge of the earth;
    repay to the (E)proud what they deserve!
3 O Lord, (F)how long shall the wicked,
    how long shall (G)the wicked exult?
4 They pour out their (H)arrogant words;
    all (I)the evildoers boast.
5 They (J)crush your people, O Lord,
    and afflict your heritage.
6 They kill (K)the widow and the sojourner,
    and murder (L)the fatherless;
7 (M)and they say, “The Lord does not see;
    the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

8 (N)Understand, O dullest of the people!
    Fools, when will you be wise?
9 (O)He who planted the ear, does he not hear?
He who formed the eye, does he not see?
10 He who (P)disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?
He who (Q)teaches man knowledge—
11     (R)the Lord—knows the thoughts of man,
    that they are (S)but a breath.[a]

12 (T)Blessed is the man whom you (U)discipline, O Lord,
    and whom you teach out of your law,
13 to give him (V)rest from (W)days of trouble,
    until (X)a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 (Y)For the Lord will not forsake his (Z)people;
    he will not abandon his (AA)heritage;
15 for (AB)justice will return to the righteous,
    and all the upright in heart will (AC)follow it.

16 (AD)Who rises up for me against the wicked?
    Who stands up for me against evildoers?
17 (AE)If the Lord had not been my help,
    my soul would soon have lived in the land of (AF)silence.
18 When I thought, (AG)“My foot slips,”
    your steadfast love, O Lord, (AH)held me up.
19 When the cares of my heart are many,
    your consolations cheer my soul.
20 Can (AI)wicked rulers be allied with you,
    those who frame[b] injustice by (AJ)statute?
21 They (AK)band together against the life of the righteous
    and condemn (AL)the innocent to death.[c]
22 But the Lord has become my (AM)stronghold,
    and my God (AN)the rock of my (AO)refuge.
23 He will bring back on them (AP)their iniquity
    and (AQ)wipe them out for their wickedness;
    the Lord our God will wipe them out.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 94:11 Septuagint they are futile
  2. Psalm 94:20 Or fashion
  3. Psalm 94:21 Hebrew condemn innocent blood
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The LORD is the Judge of all the earth. When the Psalmist looked around, he saw that the wicked and the proud appeared to prosper at the hands of God’s people. They crushed those the LORD claimed as his inheritance. They cared nothing for the weak and acted as if the LORD was blind to their evil deeds. But God made us. He sees and hears. He is the Judge who disciplines in his right time. The plans of all who oppose him are futile.

The blessed person receives the word of God and is disciplined by it. The LORD is faithful and just; he will take a stand on behalf of his people. His unfailing love is all we need to thrive as his children. Though corruption and wickedness may threaten, the LORD is a rock and fortress for all who take shelter in him. Our righteous Judge is our salvation.

Prayer: Lord, help me to depend on your righteous judgment in this sinful world and take refuge in your word and your unfailing love.

One Word: Take refuge in God