Bible Strands
Psalms 94:2
Rise up, O Judge of the earth; render a reward to the proud.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses Yahweh as the Judge of the earth, immediately following a call for God to shine forth as a God of vengeance (Psalms 94:1) and preceding a lament over how long the wicked will exult (Psalms 94:3).
The words — The Hebrew imperative הִנָּשֵׂא (hi.nāśē') commands God to "raise yourself up," while the verb הָשֵׁב (hāšēb) combined with גְּמוּל (gəmûl) literally means "repay recompense" to the גֵאִים (gē'îm), or "proud ones."
The thread — The plea for God to actively judge the proud aligns with the principle that each person will receive their due at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) and echoes the specific theme of God repaying the arrogant found in Psalms 31:23.
Why it lands — The text presents divine justice as an active response to human arrogance, requiring the reader to abandon self-reliance and acknowledge God's exclusive authority to execute retribution.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.
Cross-references
- Psalms 7:6 Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; rise up against the fury of my enemies. Awake, my God, and ordain judgment.
- Psalms 31:23 Love the LORD, all His saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but fully repays the arrogant.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
- Genesis 18:25 Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
- Micah 5:9 Your hand will be lifted over your foes, and all your enemies will be cut off.
- John 5:22 Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son,
- Isaiah 2:11 The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
- Isaiah 2:17 So the pride of man will be brought low, and the loftiness of men will be humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,
- 1 Peter 5:5 Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Job 40:11 Unleash the fury of your wrath; look on every proud man and bring him low.