First Steps – January 25, 2021

What are we to make of these words from Psalm 94?
The Lord is a God who avenges.
    O God who avenges, shine forth.
2 Rise up, Judge of the earth;
    pay back to the proud what they deserve.
3 How long, Lord, will the wicked,
    how long will the wicked be jubilant?
4 They pour out arrogant words;
    all the evildoers are full of boasting.
5 They crush your people, Lord;
    they oppress your inheritance.
6 They slay the widow and the foreigner;
    they murder the fatherless.
7 They say, “The Lord does not see;
    the God of Jacob takes no notice.”
8 Take notice, you senseless ones 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?
10 Does he who disciplines nations not punish?
    Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge?
11 The Lord knows all human plans;
    he knows that they are futile.
12 Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord,
    the one you teach from your law;
13 you grant them relief from days of trouble,
    till a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not reject his people;
    he will never forsake his inheritance.
15 Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,
    and all the upright in heart will follow it.

How does one handle this harsh language of what some call a psalm of wrath or vengeance? One first must understand this psalm is to attempt to take justice and righteousness, and conversely injustice and sin, as seriously as God does. God turns against evil because of what evil does to God’s good creation—it destroys or perverts it. Because God loves creation so much, it is a natural reaction to turn against that which would destroy what is dearly loved.  

In this psalm, we read the level of moral outrage to injustice and evil. Love has a goal for the object of that love to be better in every way. When that goal isn’t reached or actualized, the lover will do what is necessary for the object of love to reach that goal. This is not mean-spirited but the willingness of one to go to great lengths for another’s wholeness.  

I like what Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “I pray the imprecatory psalms in the certainty of their marvelous fulfillment.  I leave the vengeance to God.” If I leave it to God, then I don’t have to worry about its fulfillment. That is something for God to do…and God alone.   

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6