Psalms 94:14
in Psalms 94For the LORD will not forsake His people; He will never abandon His heritage.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For Jehovah will not cast off his people, Neither will he forsake his inheritance.
KJV
For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
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This verse in Psalms 94
Commentary
13 notes on this verseFor the Lord will not cast off his people. He may cast them down, but he never can cast them off. During fierce persecutions the saints have been apt to think that the Lord had left his own sheep, and given them over to the wolf; but it has never been so, nor shall it ever be, for the Lord will not withdraw his love, neither will he forsake his inheritance. For a time he may leave his own with the design of benefiting them thereby, yet never can he utterly desert them.
This site's exposition
Blessed is the man You discipline
on Psalms 94:12-15
The discipline of verse 12 comes with teaching from God's law. Verse 13 gives its purpose, relief from days of trouble while a pit is being dug for the wicked. The LORD keeps His people, and judgment will be righteous again.
This site's exposition
the LORD will not forsake His people
His people and His heritage are the words of verse 5, where the wicked crushed them. What they tried to destroy, the LORD keeps. Samuel gives Israel the same assurance at 1 Samuel 12:22.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Augustine of HippoTRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, TRACTATE XXVIII · Written before 430.
proposed
For at present it is not the time of judging, but of tolerating the wicked. Therefore, let the body of Christ bear at present, and tolerate the wickedness of evil livers. Let it, however, have righteousness now, for by righteousness it shall come to judgment. And what saith the Holy Scripture in the psalm to the members, namely, that tolerate the wickedness of this world? "The Lord will not cast off His people." For, in fact, His people labors among the unworthy, among the unrighteous, among blasphemers, among murmurers, detractors, persecutors, and, if they are allowed, destroyers. Yes, it labors; but "the Lord will not cast off His people, and He will not forsake His inheritance until justice is turned into judgment." "Until the justice," which is now in His saints, "be turned into judgment;" when that shall be fulfilled which was said to them, "Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." The apostle had righteousness, but not yet that judgment of which he says, "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" Be it now, therefore, the time for living rightly; the time for judging them that have lived ill shall be hereafter.
...Do thou rejoice beneath the scourge: because the heritage is kept for thee, "for the Lord will not cast off His people" (ver. 14). He chasteneth for a season, He condemneth not for ever: the others He spareth for a season, and will condemn them for evermore. Make thy choice: dost thou wish temporary suffering, or eternal punishment? temporal happiness, or eternal life? What doth God threaten? Eternal punishment. What doth He promise? Eternal rest. His scourging the good, is temporary: His sparing the wicked, is also temporary. "Neither will He forsake His inheritance."
For how great can be the power of mortals? Therefore let mortals cleave to righteousness; power will be given to immortals. And compared to this, the power, how great soever, of those men who are called powerful on earth, is found to be ridiculous weakness, and a pitfall is dug there for the sinner, where the wicked seem to be most powerful. And the righteous man says in his song, "Blessed is the man whom Thou chasteneth, O Lord, and teachest him out of Thy law: that Thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. For the Lord will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake His inheritance, until righteousness return unto judgment, and all who follow it are upright in heart." At this present time, then, in which the might of the people of God is delayed, "the Lord will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake His inheritance," how bitter and unworthy things soever it may suffer in its humility and weakness; "until the righteousness," which the weakness of the pious now possesses, "shall return to judgment," that is, shall receive the power of judging; which is preserved in the end for the righteous when power in its due order shall have followed after righteousness going before.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Let God's suffering people assure themselves of this, that, whatever their friends do, God will not cast them off, nor throw them out of his covenant or out of his care; he will not forsake them, because they are his inheritance, which he will not quit his title to nor suffer himself to be disseised of.
For the Lord will not cast off his people,....
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
In singing this psalm we must look abroad upon the pride of oppressors with a holy indignation, and the tears of the oppressed with a holy compassion; but, at the same time, look upwards to the righteous Judge with an entire satisfaction, and look forward, to the end of all these things, with a pleasing hope.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2374: “Blessed Discipline” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
THERE are times when the wicked seem to have things all their own way. This earth is not the realm of final justice—we are not yet standing before the Lord's great Judgement Seat. God permits many things to be, for a while, in confusion. They who are highest with Him are often lowest with men and, those for whom He has no regard seem to heap up the treasures of the world till their eyes stand out with fatness, and they have more than heart can wish! Let no child of God be astonished at this arrangement. It has often been so in the past and it has been the great enigma that has puzzled the world. The children of God have also sat down and looked into it, but it has been, even to them, a great deep which they could not fathom. They have sighed over it, but their sighs have not altered the facts. It is still true that often the wicked triumph and the servants of iniquity delight themselves in the high places of the earth. The righteous need not wonder that they suffer, now, for that has been the lot of God's people all along, and there have been certain times in human history when God has seemed to be altogether deaf to the cries of His suffering people. Remember the martyr age and the days of the Covenanters, who were hunted upon the mountains like the partridge. You must not wonder if the easy places of the earth are not yours and if the sentinel's stern duties should fall to your lot. It is so, and so it must be, for God has so ordained it. To comfort any of the Lord's children who have begun to worry themselves because things do not go with them as they desire, I have selected this text, and I pray the Lord to bless it to them. I. First, I shall ask you to notice that GOD'S CHILDREN ARE UNDER INSTRUCTION. Other children may run about and take holiday.
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2374: “Blessed Discipline” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
THERE are times when the wicked seem to have things all their own way. This earth is not the realm of final justice—we are not yet standing before the Lord's great Judgement Seat. God permits many things to be, for a while, in confusion. They who are highest with Him are often lowest with men and, those for whom He has no regard seem to heap up the treasures of the world till their eyes stand out with fatness, and they have more than heart can wish! Let no child of God be astonished at this arrangement.
The Lord will not cast off his people - Though they are now suffering under a grievous and oppressive captivity, yet the Lord hath not utterly cast them off. They are his inheritance, and he will again restore them to their own land.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For the Lord will not cast off his people ... - He will interpose in their behalf though the wicked seem now to triumph. The certainty of this would give consolation; this would make the mind calm in the days of trouble. Compare 1Sa 12:22; 1Ki 6:13; Deu 31:6. See the notes at Rom 11:1-2.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
To grant him peace from days of evil For the chastisements cause him to have peace from the days of the judgment of Gehinnom. while he sees that a pit is dug for the wicked man.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י׀ | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִטֹּ֣שׁ | yitosh | he will abandon | H5203 → | 40 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עַמּ֑וֹ | amo | people his | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וְ֝נַחֲלָת֗וֹ | venachalato | and inheritance his | H5159 → | 222 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יַעֲזֹֽב׃ | yaazo | he will forsake | H5800 → | 215 times |
כִּ֤י׀for
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יִטֹּ֣שׁhe will abandon
yitoshH5203 →40 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עַמּ֑וֹpeople his
amoH5971 →1873 times
וְ֝נַחֲלָת֗וֹand inheritance his
venachalatoH5159 →222 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יַעֲזֹֽב׃he will forsake
yaazoH5800 →215 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 8:30And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
it leads to
- Revelation 17:14
They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen…
- Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- Ephesians 1:11
In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
- Romans 9:23–24
What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—
- Ephesians 1:5
He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,
- Revelation 17:14
Through
Psalms 37:28For the LORD loves justice and will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.
it leads to
- Proverbs 2:22
but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be uprooted.
- Psalms 11:7
For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice. The upright will see His face.
- Proverbs 2:22
Through
1 Samuel 12:22Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 14:2
for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the…
- Deuteronomy 14:2
About Psalms
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, TRACTATE XXVIII; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 94; Augustine of Hippo, ON THE TRINITY 13:13.17; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2374: “Blessed Discipline” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.