16 Who riseth up for me with evil doers? Who stationeth himself for me with workers of iniquity?
Nicodemus saith unto them -- he who came by night unto him -- being one of them, `Doth our law judge the man, if it may not hear from him first, and know what he doth?'
And the heads and all the people say unto the priests and unto the prophets, `There is not for this man a judgment of death, for in the name of Jehovah our God he hath spoken unto us.' And certain of the elders of the land rise up, and speak unto all the assembly of the people, saying, `Micah the Morashtite hath been prophesying in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and he saith unto all the people of Judah, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Zion is a plowed field, and Jerusalem is heaps, And the mountain of the house is for high places of a forest. `Put him at all to death did Hezekiah king of Judah, and all Judah? Did he not fear Jehovah? yea, he appeaseth the face of Jehovah, and Jehovah repenteth concerning the evil that He spake against them; and we are doing great evil against our souls.
and Moses standeth in the gate of the camp, and saith, `Who `is' for Jehovah? -- unto me!' and all the sons of Levi are gathered unto him; and he saith to them, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Put each his sword by his thigh, pass over and turn back from gate to gate through the camp, and slay each his brother, and each his friend, and each his relation.' And the sons of Levi do according to the word of Moses, and there fall of the people on that day about three thousand men, and Moses saith, `Consecrate your hand to-day to Jehovah, for a man `is' against his son, and against his brother, so as to bring on you to-day a blessing.'
And all the people see, and fall on their faces, and say, `Jehovah, He `is' the God, Jehovah, He `is' the God.' And Elijah saith to them, `Catch ye the prophets of Baal; let not a man escape of them;' and they catch them, and Elijah bringeth them down unto the stream Kishon, and doth slaughter them there.
And lo, a man of the sons of Israel hath come, and bringeth in unto his brethren the Midianitess, before the eyes of Moses, and before the eyes of all the company of the sons of Israel, who are weeping at the opening of the tent of meeting; and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, the priest, seeth, and riseth from the midst of the company, and taketh a javelin in his hand, and goeth in after the man of Israel unto the hollow place, and pierceth them both, the man of Israel and the woman -- unto her belly, and the plague is restrained from the sons of Israel; and the dead by the plague are four and twenty thousand. And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, `Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, hath turned back My fury from the sons of Israel, by his being zealous with My zeal in their midst, and I have not consumed the sons of Israel in My zeal. `Therefore say, Lo, I am giving to him My covenant of peace, and it hath been to him and to his seed after him a covenant of a priesthood age-during, because that he hath been zealous for his God, and doth make atonement for the sons of Israel.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 94
Commentary on Psalms 94 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 94
Ps 94:1-23. The writer, appealing to God in view of the oppression of enemies, rebukes them for their wickedness and folly, and encourages himself, in the confidence that God will punish evildoers, and favor His people.
1, 2. God's revenge is His judicial infliction of righteous punishment.
show thyself—(Compare Margin).
2. Lift up thyself—or, "Arise," both figures representing God as heretofore indifferent (compare Ps 3:7; 22:16, 20).
3, 4. In an earnest expostulation he expresses his desire that the insolent triumph of the wicked may be ended.
5, 6. thy people [and] thine heritage—are synonymous, the people being often called God's heritage. As justice to the weak is a sign of the best government, their oppression is a sign of the worst (De 10:18; Isa 10:2).
7. Their cruelty is only exceeded by their wicked and absurd presumption (Ps 10:11; 59:7).
8. ye brutish—(Compare Ps 73:22; 92:6).
9-11. The evidence of God's providential government is found in His creative power and omniscience, which also assure us that He can punish the wicked in regard to all their vain purposes.
12, 13. On the other hand He favors though He chastens, the pious, and will teach and preserve them till the prosperous wicked are overthrown.
14, 15. This results from His abiding love (De 32:15), which is further evinced by His restoring order in His government, whose right administration will be approved by the good.
16. These questions imply that none other than God will help (Ps 60:9),
17-19. a fact fully confirmed by his past experience.
dwelt in silence—as in the grave (Ps 31:17).
19. my thoughts—or, anxious cares.
20. throne—power, rulers.
iniquity [and] mischief—both denote evils done to others, as Ps 94:21 explains.
22, 23. Yet he is safe in God's care.
defence—(Ps 59:9).
rock of … refuge—(Ps 9:9; 18:2).
23. bring … iniquity—(Compare Ps 5:10; 7:16).
in their … wickedness—while they are engaged in evil doing.