Ps. 92:5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
We recognize and appreciate many of the works of God. These are the ones we “hi-five” on social media. However, Psalm 92 goes on to address those works we don’t readily understand.
For all the things I can see and recognize immediately as “good,” there are just as many my superficial observations can’t make sense of. The Psalmist presents the beginning of a model attitude: “Your thoughts are very deep!” It is a faithful presumption that God is now at work at depths I cannot fathom.
Then he affirms “The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this” (verse 6). Yes, the Bible can be incredibly blunt. That’s what it calls someone who concludes God is either not working at all, not working well, playing games with me, treating me like a lab rat, moving me around like a pawn in a poorly played chess game, etc.
It never occurs to us that we might be criticizing vast depths from our spot in the wading pool. I’ve been there a number of times, especially after praying for big things that require God’s work on thousands of moving parts. I spent a lot of time sullen moments, because I wanted complex situations to progress according to my schedule, the timetable of a shallow man. And a stupid one, like the guy in verse 6.
This is especially trying when you pray for resolutions of wrongs committed against you. While you fret over justice delayed, there’s something to keep in mind.
Even as the wicked sprout like grass, and thrive, they’re doomed!
True, in verse 7, the Wicked and evildoers continue to put a wrinkle in between our mornings and evenings. But only the fool envies them, or despairs because of them. Our field of view is partial, limited to the phase where the bad guys are doing well, laughing, and insolent. Meanwhile, God’s range of sight is full. He sees not only the part where the evil guy who wronged you is happily zipping along, but also his fate of perishing, and being scattered (v. 9).
Take a look at my cartoon:
At any rate, we could spend a lot of time praying and hoping evildoers will get their just deserts, but please remember that
1) You’ve logged some hours as an evil doer yourself
2) Before they are enemies to you, the wicked are enemies against God—”Your enemies, O Lord” (v. 9).
3) God’s treatment of the unjust is always tempered with His redemptive longing for their souls.
4) Long-term anger easily turns to hate and hate to bitterness, so relinquish it to God as soon as possible; don’t become a casualty of your own emotions.
Finally, the best “revenge” of all, is for you to simply do well. Although we want justice, and pray for it as the Psalmist does, what the Psalmist celebrates in verse 10, is his “horn” being lifted up—that is, his spiritual life power exalted. Like an ox, a beast of service, your ministry becomes more effective than before. This comes from the fresh anointing oil of the Holy Spirit.
I can’t think of a sweeter “revenge,” although I’d really rather call it grace.
At the end of the day, what happens to you is more important than what happens to them.
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This is an updated edition of a post originally published on John Myer
Featured Image by Holger Langmaier from Pixabay
