Psalm 94:4 kjv
How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
Psalm 94:4 nkjv
They utter speech, and speak insolent things; All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
Psalm 94:4 niv
They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting.
Psalm 94:4 esv
They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.
Psalm 94:4 nlt
How long will they speak with arrogance?
How long will these evil people boast?
Psalm 94 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 73:6 | Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment... | Describes the outward display of the wicked's pride. |
| Ps 73:8-9 | They scoff and speak with malice; from on high they threaten oppression... they set their mouth against the heavens... | Amplifies the wicked's defiant and blasphemous speech. |
| 1 Sam 2:3 | Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth... | A warning against proud speech, echoing the defiance in Ps 94:4. |
| Ps 10:3 | For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the greedy man curses and renounces the Lord. | Connects boasting with opposition to God. |
| Ps 12:4 | ...Who say, "With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own"... | Demonstrates the self-sufficiency and defiance of the wicked's words. |
| Job 21:14-15 | They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?’ | The arrogant rejection of God, implied in Ps 94:4. |
| Jer 23:31 | Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who use their tongues and declare, ‘Thus declares the Lord!’ | God's judgment against false or arrogant speech. |
| Isa 32:6 | For the fool speaks folly, and his heart is busy with iniquity, to practice ungodliness, to utter error against the Lord... | Links wicked words with inner corruption. |
| Ps 5:5 | The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who work iniquity. | God's absolute hatred for boastfulness and iniquity. |
| Ps 14:4 | Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread...? | "Workers of iniquity" in a context of oppression. |
| Ps 36:1-2 | Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart... For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. | Inner deceit leading to outward boasting. |
| Ps 52:1 | Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. | Direct rebuke against boasting of evil deeds. |
| Prov 29:2 | When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. | Implied context of the wicked ruling and their oppressive words. |
| Prov 6:16-19 | There are six things that the Lord hates... haughty eyes, a lying tongue... | Highlights God's aversion to prideful and deceptive speech. |
| Rom 1:28-30 | And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up... proud, boastful, inventors of evil... | New Testament confirmation of unchecked pride and evil acts. |
| Jas 4:16 | As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. | Clear condemnation of arrogant boasting in the New Testament. |
| Rev 13:5-6 | And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and authority... He opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God... | Eschatological display of wicked and defiant speech. |
| Dan 7:8, 20 | ...behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one... and a mouth speaking great things... this horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things... | Prophetic description of an arrogant, defiant power. |
| 2 Pet 2:18 | For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice... | Describes false teachers whose speech is characterized by empty boasting. |
| Jude 1:16 | These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they utter swelling words, flattery others for their own advantage. | Direct use of "swelling words" (ὑπέρογκα, hyperonka), confirming arrogant speech. |
Psalm 94 verses
Psalm 94 4 Meaning
Psalm 94:4 articulates the psalmist's complaint against the arrogant and wicked who boldly utter defiant and presumptuous words. It highlights the continued nature of their boastful and insolent speech, expressing frustration with their unrestrained pride and perceived impunity, all while operating in complete disregard for divine justice and authority. The verse poses a rhetorical question, implicitly appealing to God to observe and address this persistent wickedness.
Psalm 94 4 Context
Psalm 94 belongs to the category of a lament psalm, specifically a national or community lament, infused with elements of a wisdom psalm. It presents a fervent appeal to God to exercise His divine justice against the wicked who oppress His people. The psalm opens with a desperate plea for God, the God of vengeance, to arise and punish the proud. Verse 4, "How long will they utter and speak swelling words, all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?" describes the nature of this oppressive wickedness: it is characterized by arrogant speech, insolent boasts, and an evident lack of fear of divine retribution. This verse forms part of the psalmist's initial outcry (vv. 3-7) that details the specific sins of the wicked—their boastfulness, cruelty, and belief that God neither sees nor understands their actions. Historically, this psalm could reflect times of severe injustice, whether from internal corrupt rulers, external enemies, or a general societal decay where evildoers act with impunity, leading the faithful to cry out for divine intervention and righteous judgment.
Psalm 94 4 Word analysis
- How long (עַד-מָתַי Ad-mataiy): This is a Hebrew idiom expressing exasperation and urgency. It's a cry of distress, indicating the psalmist's longing for divine intervention to put an end to an unbearable situation. It implies a sense of delayed justice and a yearning for God to act swiftly.
- will they utter (יַבִּיעוּ Yabbi’u): From the root נבע (nava), meaning "to bubble up," "to pour forth," "to gush out." It vividly depicts speech that flows unrestrained, like a fountain. It suggests a profusion of words, emphasizing the continuous and effusive nature of the wicked's discourse, often indicating malicious or vain pronouncements.
- and speak (יְדַבְּרוּ Y'dabberu): From the common verb דבר (dabar), meaning "to speak," "to talk." Its inclusion after yabbi'u serves to intensify the description of the wicked's verbal actions, indicating deliberate and purposeful speech rather than just random utterances.
- swelling words (עָתָק ataq): This Hebrew term implies arrogant, insolent, defiant, hard, or presumptuous speech. It denotes language that crosses a line, displaying extreme pride and defiance against God or His righteous ways. It suggests an overbearing, even blasphemous, self-exalting rhetoric that lacks respect for divine or moral authority.
- all the workers of iniquity (כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן Kol-po’alei aven):
- all (כָּל kol): Denotes the comprehensive and pervasive nature of this group, highlighting that it is not isolated incidents but a widespread phenomenon.
- workers of (פֹּעֲלֵי po’alei): From the verb פעל (pa'al), "to work," "to make," "to do." This is a significant biblical phrase emphasizing that wickedness is not merely occasional sin but a habitual, active, and lifestyle-defining pursuit. They labor in evil.
- iniquity (אָוֶן aven): This term broadly covers trouble, sorrow, wickedness, vanity, idolatry, and mischief. It refers to evil that is destructive, hurtful, and often associated with falsehood and worthlessness. Their work yields damaging and empty results.
- boast themselves (יִתְהַלָּלוּ Yithallelū): From the verb הלל (halal), "to praise," "to boast." In the Hitpael stem, it signifies self-praise or self-glorification. This suggests that their arrogant speech (the swelling words) is specifically aimed at exalting themselves, displaying their power, achievements, or perceived invincibility, often in defiance of God or the humble. It directly contrasts with the true purpose of halal – praising the Lord.
Psalm 94 4 Bonus section
The "swelling words" (עָתָק ataq) and "boasting themselves" (יִתְהַלָּלוּ yithallelū) present a sharp contrast with the biblical understanding of genuine humility and worship. True praise (also derived from halal) is directed outward to God, recognizing His greatness, while the wicked distort this human capacity for praise into self-aggrandizement. The repeated emphasis on their words underscores a central biblical theme: the profound power and consequence of human speech, capable of building up or tearing down, praising God or defiling His name through pride and insolence. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that God not only observes actions but also scrutinizes the inner intent and spoken words of humanity, especially those that openly challenge His sovereignty.
Psalm 94 4 Commentary
Psalm 94:4 encapsulates the profound spiritual agony of those who witness the unbridled arrogance of the wicked. The verse points to the unrestrained, incessant flow of self-exalting and insolent words that gush from those habitually engaged in evil. Their speech is not just idle chatter; it's presumptuous, audacious, and filled with a self-assured pride that borders on blasphemy, presuming autonomy from God's rule and an absence of divine accountability. "Workers of iniquity" underscores that their evil is a lifestyle, their very being defined by destructive acts, and their boast is a public display of their contempt for righteousness. The psalmist's anguished "How long?" highlights the unbearable burden of witnessing such defiance and expresses a desperate plea for God, who is just and righteous, to finally intervene and silence the boasts of those who dare to elevate themselves above divine authority. It underscores the ultimate futility of human pride that stands against God.