September 15, 2009
CAUTION: READ THE INSTRUCTIONS
Psalm 94
Scott Stouder
Central Truth
God never lets go. He never let go of me even when I was far from Him. His instructions are good.
Key Verse | Psalm 94:12–13
How blessed is the one whom you instruct, O Lord,
the one whom you teach from your law,
in order to protect him from times of trouble,
until the wicked are destroyed.
(Psalm 94:12-13)
Psalm 94
The LORD Will Not Forsake His People
1
O LORD, God of vengeance,
O God of vengeance, shine forth!
2
Rise up, O judge of the earth;
repay to the proud what they deserve!
3
O LORD, how long shall the wicked,
how long shall the wicked exult?
4
They pour out their arrogant words;
all the evildoers boast.
5
They crush your people, O LORD,
and afflict your heritage.
6
They kill the widow and the sojourner,
and murder the fatherless;
7
and they say, “The LORD does not see;
the God of Jacob does not perceive.”
8
Understand, O dullest of the people!
Fools, when will you be wise?
9
He who planted the ear, does he not hear?
He who formed the eye, does he not see?
10
He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?
He who teaches man knowledge—
11
the LORD—knows the thoughts of man,
that they are but a breath.
1
94:11
Septuagint they are futile
12
Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD,
and whom you teach out of your law,
13
to give him rest from days of trouble,
until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14
For the LORD will not forsake his people;
he will not abandon his heritage;
15
for justice will return to the righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.
16
Who rises up for me against the wicked?
Who stands up for me against evildoers?
17
If the LORD had not been my help,
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
18
When I thought, “My foot slips,”
your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.
19
When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.
20
Can wicked rulers be allied with you,
those who frame
2
94:20
Or fashion
injustice by statute?
21
They band together against the life of the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.
3
94:21
Hebrew condemn innocent blood
22
But the LORD has become my stronghold,
and my God the rock of my refuge.
23
He will bring back on them their iniquity
and wipe them out for their wickedness;
the LORD our God will wipe them out.
Dive Deeper | Psalm 94
In Psalm 94 the author begs for understanding. It’s a cry for God to answer the injustice we see around us. “O Lord, they crush your people; they oppress the nation that belongs to you.” (Psalm 94:5)
In high school I remember turning away from God in my pursuit of friends, relationships with girls, and my sense of self-worth. I chose the path of least resistance; I chose the world and what it had to offer. It wasn’t until college that I realized I no longer knew who I was—or who Jesus was for that matter. Unfortunately, I knew what guilt, shame, and isolation from other believers felt like. I was riding an arrogant cloud.
During this time I wasn’t allowing God to instruct my life, and the result was wicked and deceitful living. I remember looking down on my Christian friends because of how they lived out their faith. I thought they were too radical if they wouldn’t go to certain movies or if they drove a boring car just so others could have a bite to eat. Instead, I was placing my hope in a faster car, nicer condo, better job performance, or higher income. I embraced all of this while my friends were wholly focused on seeing God work through them and struggling well against the deceitfulness of the world. It was my injustice toward a "nation" that belonged to God.
But God is faithful! That same person who looked down on Christ-followers for being too radical—who used the money God had entrusted to him for personal gain—is the same person who is now taking radical steps to be more like Christ. With a lot of prayer and wrestling with God, I sold my luxury sports sedan for a stripped down, used SUV. I now get the opportunity to use the extra money to feed others. God was leading me to this place for a long time. I just needed to read His instructions and trust the friends who were sold out for Him! In this small step of faith God revealed His splendor to me.
Discussion Questions
1. What's holding you back from being sold out for Christ?
2. Are you encouraging those who are sold out to Christ to not lose heart?