(Have you read Psalm 94? If not, click the link above and first spend time listening to God’s Word.)
Have you heard that the God of the Old Testament is different from the God of the New Testament? Don’t believe such nonsense.
Compare this encouragement from Paul to persecuted believers in Thessalonica and what was written in Psalm 94.
7 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels,
8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.
9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.
“O LORD, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth!”
Who is it that we are waiting for and calling out to in Psalm 94? Isn’t it clear from what Paul wrote that it is the Lord Jesus himself?
“For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The LORD will judge his own people.” It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
MAIN POINT: Psalm 94 is looking forward to the only completely just judge who has the power to rescue those who call out to him, which is clearly revealed to be Jesus.
The Psalmist frames the offences in a way that will bring maximum reaction. As we read the cry for justice, we are reading a master prosecuting attorney who knows how to evoke from the judge a reaction. God has priorities and they are often revealed to us. So when we make an appeal to God, we have a better understanding of what moves the heart of God. These priorities logically flow from the character of God, so these offences are not only against the people of God but ultimately against God Himself.
“5 They crush your people, Lord,
hurting those you claim as your own.”
Attack on Jesus the sovereign owner:
To hurt me is to directly attack God, because I am His possession, I am bought by Him with the blood of His Son, I am valuable to God. The Psalmist says to God the Judge, are you going to let them steal from you and harm your property?
Attack on the helpless whom Jesus is sworn to defend: Psalm 94:6
(Matthew 25:40, Romans 5:6, James 1:27) Jesus healed the sick and lame and praised widows and invited children to be in his presence. Jesus defended sinners and supported women’s right to follow his teaching. All the godly patriarchs who defend themselves before God make some mention of their treatment of widows, orphans and foreigners. And these helpless people are a focus of attention in the first church in Acts.
Attack on the character and ruling capacity of Jesus as King: Psalm 94:7-8
Recently I had a severe day of succumbing to certain paranoia phobias. These are basically lies that people who love me are plotting against me to harm me and take from me. It is not nice to deal with such crippling lies in your head. But as the Psalmist does I just tell myself, “God knows!”
“…He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing?
11 The Lord knows people’s thoughts;”
The idea that God doesn’t know or that God can be fooled is absurd, and the Psalmist makes it clear. Jesus repeatedly showed that He knew people’s thoughts. And it is no wonder, He is God and He is the Word of God in flesh. And what does the Word of God do?
“12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.
It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
This isn’t the first time in the Psalms we have seen the wicked going around proudly announcing that God doesn’t know what is happening. (Psalm 10:11-12, 59:7, 73:11)
“20 Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—
leaders whose decrees permit injustice?”
We see this last attack extended to misrepresentation. In the book of Matthew and Revelation we are warned that rulers will come saying they are representing King Jesus but in fact they are liars whom Jesus will judge. (Matthew 7:15 1 John 4:1, Romans 16:18)
Conclusion: The God of the Old Testament who will protect the needy and bring swift and terrible judgement on the wicked is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow; His Name is Jesus the Just King. And we can call out to Him because an attack on us, His people, is an attack on Himself.
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