Psalm 94:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the Lord our God will wipe them out.

NIV: He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the Lord our God will destroy them.

NASB: He has brought back their injustice upon them, And He will destroy them in their evil; The Lord our God will destroy them.

CSB: He will pay them back for their sins and destroy them for their evil. The Lord our God will destroy them.

NLT: God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The Lord our God will destroy them.

KJV: And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off.

NKJV: He has brought on them their own iniquity, And shall cut them off in their own wickedness; The Lord our God shall cut them off.

Psalm 94:16–23 applies the themes of the psalm into an expression of confidence. Evil people bring oppression (Psalm 94:5–6). They assume God cannot see their sins (Psalm 94:9–10). But the Lord disciplines and plans good for those whom He loves (Psalm 94:12–13). The psalmist reassures himself that God does not favor those who do evil. Rather than despair, or revenge, the psalmist can rest assured that the Lord will punish those who do evil.

This song begins with the psalmist's prayer for God's vengeance on arrogant, evil people bragging about their sin. These criminals abuse the Lord's people and think God is unaware. But the Creator who made man knows everything men can know. God sees. He will continue to work out His plan. This will end in restoration for His people and eternal disaster for those who hate Him.

This psalm may refer to corrupt leaders within Israel, or to oppressing Gentile nations. Their sins don't escape God's notice; He will punish them one day. The text shares themes with Psalm 10, such as the arrogance of men assuming the Lord doesn't know or care about their sin. First Corinthians 3:20 cites Psalm 94:11 when pointing out that God is perfectly aware of human scheming.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 4/19/2025 7:37:56 AM