Psalm 94:4

How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(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 God’s people.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

94:1-11 We may with boldness appeal to God; for he is the almighty Judge by whom every man is judged. Let this encourage those who suffer wrong, to bear it with silence, committing themselves to Him who judges righteously. These prayers are prophecies, which speak terror to the sons of violence. There will come a day of reckoning for all the hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against God, his truths, and ways, and people. It would hardly be believed, if we did not witness it, that millions of rational creatures should live, move, speak, hear, understand, and do what they purpose, yet act as if they believed that God would not punish the abuse of his gifts. As all knowledge is from God, no doubt he knows all the thoughts of the children of men, and knows that the imaginations of the thoughts of men's hearts are only evil, and that continually. Even in good thoughts there is a want of being fixed, which may be called vanity. It concerns us to keep a strict watch over our thoughts, because God takes particular notice of them. Thoughts are words to God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3, 4. In an earnest expostulation he expresses his desire that the insolent triumph of the wicked may be ended.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

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.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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, Revelation 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 Jde 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, Revelation 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.

Geneva Study Bible

How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4. The verses run in pairs, and it seems preferable, with A.V., to regard Psalm 94:4 as a continuation of the question in Psalm 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. Psalm 59:2; Psalm 59:7; Psalm 31:18. The exact sense of the last verb is doubtful. It may mean ‘exalt themselves,’ or ‘speak proudly one with another.’

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - How long shall they utter and speak hard things? rather, they pour forth, they utter arrogant things; literally, arrogance. And all the workers of iniquity boast themselves; or, "carry themselves proudly" (Cheyne). Psalm 94:4

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The second strophe describes those over whom the first prays that the judgment of God may come. הבּיע (cf. הטּיף) 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. Psalm 59:8) intended: they speak עתק, that which is unrestrained, unbridled, insolent (vid., Psalm 31:19). The Hithpa. התאמּר Schultens interprets ut Emiri (Arab. 'mı̂r, a commander) se gerunt; but אמיר signifies in Hebrew the top of a tree (vid., on Isaiah 17:9); and from the primary signification to tower aloft, whence too אמר, to speak, prop. effere equals effari, התאמּר, like התימּר in Isaiah 61:6, directly signifies to exalt one's self, to carry one's self high, to strut. On ודכּאוּ cf. Proverbs 22:22; Isaiah 3:15; and on their atheistical principle which ויּאמרוּ places in closest connection with their mode of action, cf. Psalm 10:11; Psalm 59:8 extrem. The Dagesh in יּהּ, distinct from the Dag. in the same word in Psalm 94:12, Psalm 118:5, Psalm 118:18, is the Dag. forte conjunct. according to the rule of the so-called דחיק.