Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

174

Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

Psalm 94 with Augustine – God as Avenger The LORD is a God who avenges (v. 1). Do you think he does not punish? You murmur because the bad are unpunished. Do not murmur, so you will not be among the punished. One has committed theft, and lives: you murmur against God because of this. If you want another to correct the thief’s hand, first correct your tongue. You would have him correct his heart towards others; correct your heart towards God, so that when you desire God’s vengeance and it comes, it will not find you first. Watch your slightest daily sins. Rivers are filled with the smallest drops. How long, LORD, will the wicked be jubilant? They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting (vv. 3–4). God’s people sometimes see the wicked flourishing and are led to follow them in their actions because they see that apparently it does not profit them to live well in humility. You are working in a vineyard; execute your task, and you will receive your pay. You would not demand payment from your employer before your work was finished; do you demand it from God before you work? This patience is part of your work, and your pay depends on your work. But if you are treacherous, take care, so you will not suffer punishment because you have chosen to be a treacherous worker. When such a worker begins to do wrong, he watches his employer’s eyes, who hired him for his vineyard, so he may loiter when his eye is turned away, but the moment his eyes are turned towards him, he works diligently. But God, who hired you, does not look away. You cannot work treacherously. The eyes of your Master are always on you. Seek an opportunity to deceive him, and loiter if you can. If any of you had such ideas when you saw the wicked