Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 94:4
[How long] shall they utter [and] speak hard things? [and] all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
4. The verses run in pairs, and it seems preferable, with A.V., to regard Psa 94:4 as a continuation of the question in Psa 94:3, rather than, with R.V., to render it as an affirmative sentence. Workers of iniquity is the subject to the whole verse.
(How long) shall all workers of iniquity
Belch out, talk arrogantly, act haughtily?
Cp. Psa 59:2; Psa 59:7; Psa 31:18. The exact sense of the last verb is doubtful. It may mean ‘exalt themselves,’ or ‘speak proudly one with another.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
How long shall they utter and speak hard things? – The word rendered utter means to pour forth – as water from a fountain; to pour forth copiously. The meaning is, that they seemed to be full, and that they poured forth evil words as a fountain pours forth water. The phrase hard things means proud, unfeeling, insolent things; things which are unjust, unkind, severe, harsh.
And all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? – Boast of their power and their success. How long shall they be permitted to have such success as may seem to justify them in their exultation?
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. They utter and speak] yabbiu, their hearts get full of pride and insolence; and then, from the abundance of such vile hearts, the mouth speaks; and the speech is of hard things, threatenings which they are determined to execute, boastings of their power, authority, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Utter; or, pour forth freely, constantly, abundantly, as a fountain doth waters, as this Hebrew word signifies.
Hard things; grievous, and insolent, and intolerable words against thee and thy people; blasphemous, malicious, contemptuous, and minatory words.
Boast themselves; boast of their invincible power, and prosperous success in their wicked designs.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
How long shall they utter and speak hard things?,…. Against Christ, his person and offices, his ministers, his people, his truths and ordinances; this is very applicable to antichrist, who has a mouth speaking blasphemies, and which he opens, and with it blasphemes God, his tabernacle, and them that dwell in it, Re 13:5. The Targum is,
“will they utter and speak reproachful words?”
contumelies or calumnies; and such are uttered by the antichristian party against the true professors of religion in great abundance, as water out of a fountain, as the first word a used signifies; see Jude 1:15,
and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves; the just character of the followers of antichrist, who work an abomination, and make a lie, and whose whole course of life, and even of religion, is a series of sin and iniquity, Re 21:27, these lift up themselves against, the Lord, like the high branches of a tree, as Aben Ezra; or praise themselves, as Jarchi; being proud, they are boasters; boast of their antiquity and precedence, of their wealth and riches, of their power and authority, of infallibility, and works of supererogation, and the like.
a “effutient”, Montanus, Tigurine version, Vatablus; “effutiunt”, Musculus; “scaturiunt”, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The second strophe describes those over whom the first prays that the judgment of God may come. (cf. ) is a tropical phrase used of that kind of speech that results from strong inward impulse and flows forth in rich abundance. The poet himself explains how it is here (cf. Psa 59:8) intended: they speak , that which is unrestrained, unbridled, insolent (vid., Psa 31:19). The Hithpa. Schultens interprets ut Emiri (Arab. ‘mr , a commander) se gerunt ; but signifies in Hebrew the top of a tree (vid., on Isa 17:9); and from the primary signification to tower aloft, whence too , to speak, prop. effere = effari , , like in Isa 61:6, directly signifies to exalt one’s self, to carry one’s self high, to strut. On cf. Pro 22:22; Isa 3:15; and on their atheistical principle which places in closest connection with their mode of action, cf. Psa 10:11; Psa 59:8 extrem. The Dagesh in , distinct from the Dag. in the same word in Psa 94:12, Psa 118:5, Psa 118:18, is the Dag. forte conjunct. according to the rule of the so-called .
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
4 They pour forth, they speak hard things (15) He shows in still clearer terms, how their fierceness in persecution was such that they did not scruple to glory in their guilt. The Hebrew verb נבע, nabang, means more than to speak. Literally it signifies to rush or boil forth, and comes to denote figuratively the uttering of reckless or rash words. We see how wicked men are instigated by pride and vain-glory, to demean and disgrace themselves so far as to boast vain-gloriously of their power, breathing forth threatenings of bloodshed, violence, and monstrous cruelty. It is to such ebullitions that the Psalmist refers, when men who are lost to all sense of shame and modesty boast of the wickedness which they can perpetrate at will. This is what he means by their speaking hard things, uttering discourse which is under no restraint of fear, or prudential consideration, but which launches into the most unbridled license. As the Lord’s people had formerly to endure the heavy trial of seeing the Church subjected to this wild tyranny and misrule, we should account it no strange thing to see the Church suffering still under miserable misgovernment, or positive oppression, but should pray for help from God, who, though he connives at wickedness for a time, eventually comes to the deliverance of his children.
(15) In our English Bible this verse is put into the interrogative form, and the words “how long” are supplied: “ How long shall they utter and speak hard things?” Calvin translates it as a simple statement, and without any supplemental words; which Archbishop Secker considers to be more correct.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) How long . . . and.It is better to omit the italics, and render: They speak out of utter impudence: all evil-doers boast. The word rendered boast is by modern scholars connected with the Arabian title Emir, a commander. They make themselves out to be persons of distinction, or, perhaps, lord it over Gods people.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 94:4 [How long] shall they utter [and] speak hard things? [and] all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
Ver. 4. How long shall they utter ] Heb. They will bluster (or well-out, as a fountain), they will speak hard things (speak millstones, throw daggers), they will boast themselves (talk largely of their good parts and practices); all this is expressed by an elegant asyndeton, a to show that they did all this ordinarily and incessantly.
A ,
(Euripid.).
a A rhetorical figure which omits the conjunction.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
iniquity. Hebrew ‘aven. Same word as in verses: Psa 94:16, Psa 94:23; not Psa 94:20.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 94:4-7
Psa 94:4-7
WHAT THE WICKED WERE DOING
“They prate; they speak arrogantly:
All the workers of iniquity boast themselves.
They break in pieces thy people, O Jehovah,
And afflict thy heritage.
They slay the widow and the sojourner,
And murder the fatherless.
And they say, Jehovah will not see,
Neither will the God of Jacob consider.”
During the long reign of Manasseh, the Scriptures tell us that, “Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another” (2Ki 21:16).
“Throughout the Near East, the protection of widows, orphans and strangers was held to be the most sacred duty of leaders.
“They prate” (Psa 94:4). To prate is to speak idly, to chatter. The wicked were indulging in almost endless arrogant and idle speech against the righteous.
“Jehovah will not see … the God of Jacob will not consider” (Psa 94:7). Delitzsch thought that oppressors here were foreign powers, but as Maclaren pointed out, “There is nothing here to indicate that these oppressors were foreigners. Furthermore, the appearance here of the expression “the God of Jacob” strongly indicates Israelites as the practical atheists in view here. As a matter of fact, Psa 94:8, below, speaks of these evil-doers as being “among the people,” that is, among God’s people.
Adam Clarke remarked on Psa 94:7 here that, “This is their impiety; this is their blasphemy; this is their practical atheism, and the cause of all their injustice, cruelty, tyranny and oppression.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 94:4. The boastful sayings of the enemies seemed to worry the Psalmist more than any considerations as to his personal discomfort.
Psa 94:5. David was concerned for the people of the nation rather than for himself. This spirit of unselfishness was an outstanding quality of this great man. See a demonstration of it in 2Sa 24:17.
Psa 94:6. It is noteworthy that David’s complaints against the evildoers did not consist in mere general assertions. Had that been the case it would have given the impression that his motive was only a personal dislike for them. Instead, he specified their acts of violence against the innocent and helpless people.
Psa 94:7. These wicked people were so foolish as to think they could hide from God. Such a thought has ever been a common one with man. It was first demonstrated by Adam and Eve when they thought they could hide from God behind the trees. (Gen 3:9.)
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
shall: Psa 31:18, Psa 59:7, Psa 59:12, Psa 64:3, Psa 64:4, Psa 73:8, Psa 73:9, Psa 140:3, Pro 30:14, Jer 18:18, Mat 12:24, Mat 12:34, Jud 1:14, Jud 1:15
boast: Psa 10:2-7, Psa 52:1, Exo 15:9, Exo 15:10, Job 21:14, Job 21:15, Isa 10:13-15, Isa 37:24, Isa 37:25, Dan 7:8, Dan 7:11, Dan 7:25, Dan 8:11, Dan 11:36, Dan 11:37, Rev 13:5, Rev 13:6
Reciprocal: 1Sa 2:3 – let not arrogancy Psa 10:3 – boasteth Psa 13:1 – How Psa 14:1 – They are Psa 35:17 – how Jer 12:1 – Wherefore doth Jer 13:27 – wilt Lam 5:20 – dost Rom 1:30 – boasters Rev 6:10 – How
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
These verses contain the specific offenses of the wicked. They glorify themselves, afflict God’s people, and think God will not do anything to oppose them.