What does Psalm 91:8 mean?

This verse refers to the death of the thousands mentioned in the previous verse (Psalm 91:7) as "the recompense of the wicked." Those who trust in the Lord will escape God's judgment, but they will witness it. In an eternal perspective, this is true in the most literal sense (Revelation 20:11–15). In practice, rejecting God's goodness and wisdom generally leads to disaster (Proverbs 1:7; 9:11–12).

Psalm 92:9 echoes this confidence that the Lord's enemies will perish. Psalm 92:11–12 records the psalmist's testimony, "My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon." The wicked may seem to go unpunished now (Psalm 73:3–5), but someday they will feel God's wrath (Psalm 73:16–19). At the end of days, a multitude of unbelievers will follow Satan's lead and camp around Jerusalem, but God will rain fire on them (Revelation 20:7–9). The Devil will be captured and will be thrown into the lake of fire to be tormented forever (Revelation 20:10). God's wrath is the payment for sin.