Psalm 94:1-7 “LORD, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out. Rise up, you judge of the earth. Pay back the proud what they deserve. LORD, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph? They pour out arrogant words. All the evildoers boast. They break your people in pieces, LORD, and afflict your heritage. They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless. They say, “The LORD will not see, neither will Jacob’s God consider.”

This is a cry for God to avenge His people and punish the wicked. The wicked are seen as especially heinous, not just because of what they do, but because they don’t believe in Israel’s God or that there will be any punishment for their actions.

There is an important reminder here that we aren’t to take vengeance into our own hands. God has given us our government and Himself to rely on for justice!

Romans 13:3-4 “For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the authority, for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.”

Romans 12:19 “Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, ‘Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

For additional worship: O Lord, Thou Judge of All the Earth