Psalm 94 contains many consoling and stimulating thoughts, especially for those who have to cope with the unspiritual values of society. This Psalm shows that our only sure strength of mind when life is difficult is our relationship with God.
“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul” (verse 19) and “When I thought, ‘My foot slips’, your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up” (verse 18). God’s consolations have the sense of compassion and comfort. It reminds us of Paul’s words, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6,7).
When God answers the petition with which this Psalm begins we will need that attitude of mind in all its fullness. “O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth … O LORD … how long shall the wicked exult? They pour out their arrogant words …” (verses 1-4).
The Psalm concludes, “But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge. He will bring back on them their iniquity and will wipe them out for their wickedness …” (verses 22,23). Psalm 95 is also our reading today. Let us meditate on verses 6-8, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts …” We hear His voice by reading his word, let us make sure we listen to what we are reading.
I wholeheartedly agree with the writer that Psalm 94 in conjunction with Psalm 95 are very uplifting during these especially perilous times, both physically and spiritually, in which we live. Today, when the cares of our hearts are many, God’s consolations do cheer our souls. So often when we try and see through the clouds and rain, all we have is our faith to guide us. We have to believe that God will not forsake his people, no matter what we are going through. We must see and believe that the Lord is our stronghold, and our rock our refuge. God does so much for us that we take for granted, that we should sing praises to Him all the time. So, as it was written, “let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” Thank you, for bringing these Psalms to our attention, they are very appropriate and were well presented. And Yes, we really do need to “give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”