The psalmist asks "How long, O Lord?" He hungers for God's reign of justice and righteousness ruling on the earth. To the proud and the wicked, the writer asks "Is He blind - the one who formed your eyes?" The writer challenges the proud to think again.
Jesus said in Matt. 5:6, "God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied."
As believers in Christ, we are the ones, in verse 12 of this psalm who are joyful about His discipline and instruction in our lives. We take comfort in Him, and He gives us renewed hope and cheer.
1 O LORD, the God to whom vengeance belongs,
O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice be seen!
2 Arise, O judge of the earth. Sentence the proud to the penalties they deserve.
3 How long, O LORD? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat?
4 Hear their arrogance! How these evildoers boast!
5 They oppress your people, LORD, hurting those you love.
6 They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans.
7 "The LORD isn't looking," they say, "and besides, the God of Israel [fn] doesn't care."
8 Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on? 9 Is the one who made your ears deaf? Is the one who formed your eyes blind?
10 He punishes the nations--won't he also punish you? He knows everything--doesn't he also know what you are doing?
11 The LORD knows people's thoughts, that they are worthless!
12 Happy are those whom you discipline, LORD, and those whom you teach from your law.
13 You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 The LORD will not reject his people; he will not abandon his own special possession.
15 Judgment will come again for the righteous, and those who are upright will have a reward.
16 Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
17 Unless the LORD had helped me, I would soon have died.
18 I cried out, "I'm slipping!" and your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me.
19 When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
20 Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side-- leaders who permit injustice by their laws?
21 They attack the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the LORD is my fortress; my God is a mighty rock where I can hide.
23 God will make the sins of evil people fall back upon them. He will destroy them for their sins. The LORD our God will destroy them.