GOD OF VENGEANCE: a look at Psalm 94

I confess… I read this psalm and all kinds of resentful thoughts flooded my heart.

Why would this psalm be here?

A Look At Psalm 94

After deciding that most psalms are actually quite depressing, I also decided to just ignore this specific chapter altogether.

Why is David calling upon God of vengeance to appear? It’s soooo not like God to take revenge. Didn’t David know God? God is good. He loves us so much that He gave His only Son (John 3:16). I mean… if David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) then I assume he knew God fairly well, yes? Then, what is up with David? Come on – get it right, man!

Seriously, David! I might actually tell people to avoid reading that psalm because I don’t want them to get the wrong impression about my God. My God is the God of LOVE! What were you thinking when you wrote it?

Then…..it happened. I went on Facebook.

It Happened

Nothing YUCKY is ever clicked on, or read on, or hated on when I check my Facebook newsfeed. Don’t want to be chased by the “uglies” of social media due to one bad click. “Coincidentally,” the first post I read was about a human trafficking sting. The article described the victims found. The young age, the suffering, how they were found, it was all so hard to take in that it broke me down. Even the breath within me cried out to #OVERCOMEit.

I couldn’t think, I couldn’t stop shaking, I couldn’t function. What if that was my kid?

I’m the mother of a three-year old girl. The thought of ANYthing happening to her tears me to pieces. The thought of those little girls and boys who went through this was killing me. I shuddered.

“Why, God? Why?! Why does the pain and suffering happen to the innocent ones? The ones who can’t defend? Who don’t have the strength to #OVERCOMEit? Why is this horrible world still here? Just come and finish it off. Forget the plan of salvation. Just come and avenge your. . . ”

. . .I froze

. . . Psalm 94.

I read it again.

The Lord is a God who avenges.
O God who avenges, shine forth.
Rise up. Judge of the earth.

I fell to my knees. I worshiped my God and only began to understand my ignorance. I sat there with God. My heart breathed in the Spirit’s comfort because, believe me, righteous anger cries out for vengeance.

“God, please be the God of vengeance!” I begged Him. “The innocent ones rely on You.”

He is our only hope in this world full of pain and cruelty. How else could evil ever be overcome? How could we ever balance the scales?

I am now thankful that David wrote this psalm. It’s one out of many psalms that I did not understand. It’s merely one that talks about violence and revenge. I want to #BREATHEit in. I want righteous revenge. More than that, I want the innocent sufferers to be restored. I want justice. I want the scales to balance.

I am so disturbed by the escalating, downward spiral of our planet. I’m repulsed by the low value we have on human life, on life in general. Often upset by the gruesome reality taking over, it comforts me to know that every.single.horrible person out there will get what they deserve. Even me.

I’m grateful God is the judge. Not me. I’m grateful that He gives me what He deserves and takes on my shame – my utter filth. This November, for the first time, I am truly thankful for our loving God, who is also the God of vengeance.

Rise up, Judge of the earth! Shine forth.