Psalms 94:23 (KJV)

What does Psalms 94:23 mean?

Psalms 94:23 says that God will make the consequences of the wicked’s own wrongdoing come back on them and will destroy them because of their evil actions. The verse emphasizes that it is the LORD, the God of Israel, who will bring about this judgment and final end.

In this psalm, the writer is speaking to God about the actions of wicked people who oppress others and seem to get away with it. The verse closes the psalm by declaring that God will not let their evil go unpunished; instead, their own iniquity will be their downfall. The focus is on God’s justice and the certainty that wrongdoing will ultimately be dealt with by God Himself.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 94:23

• "bring" (יָשִׁיב, yashiv): This word means "to return" or "to bring back." Here, it highlights that God will cause the wicked to face the results of their own actions, not just punish them randomly.
• "iniquity" (אָוֶן, aven): This word often refers to moral evil or trouble caused by wrongdoing. The verse points out that the harm the wicked have done will come back on them.
• "cut off" (צָמַת, tsamat): Used twice in this verse, this word means "to destroy" or "to wipe out." It stresses the completeness of God’s judgment against the wicked.
• "wickedness" (רַע, ra): This word means "evil" or "badness." The verse says the wicked will be destroyed in the very evil they have chosen.
• "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH) and "God" (אֱלֹהִים, Elohim): These names emphasize that it is Israel’s covenant God, not just any judge, who will act.

Why Psalms 94:23 matters

• This verse clears up the idea that evil people can escape consequences; it insists their own actions will return to them through God’s justice.
• The verse emphasizes that God’s judgment is not arbitrary—He uses the wicked’s own choices as the means of their downfall.
• In the context of the whole psalm, this verse reassures those who suffer under injustice that God sees, remembers, and will act in His time.