Psalms 94:13
That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.
Original Language Analysis
לְהַשְׁקִ֣יט
That thou mayest give him rest
H8252
לְהַשְׁקִ֣יט
That thou mayest give him rest
Strong's:
H8252
Word #:
1 of 8
to repose (usually figurative)
מִ֣ימֵי
from the days
H3117
מִ֣ימֵי
from the days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
3 of 8
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
עַ֤ד
H5704
עַ֤ד
Strong's:
H5704
Word #:
5 of 8
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
יִכָּרֶ֖ה
be digged
H3738
יִכָּרֶ֖ה
be digged
Strong's:
H3738
Word #:
6 of 8
properly, to dig; figuratively, to plot; generally, to bore or open
Cross References
Psalms 55:23But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.Psalms 9:15The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.2 Peter 2:9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:Revelation 14:13And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.Habakkuk 3:16When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.Revelation 11:18And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.Hebrews 4:9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.Psalms 49:5Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?Job 34:29When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:Jeremiah 18:20Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
Historical Context
The imagery of digging a pit for enemies draws on ancient Near Eastern warfare and hunting metaphors. Ironically, Scripture repeatedly shows the wicked falling into traps they set for others (Psalms 7:15, 9:15, Proverbs 26:27)—poetic justice as historical pattern.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's Word create interior rest even when external adversity remains unchanged?
- Where do you struggle with God's timeline for justice—and what false 'peace' do you seek instead?
- What pit are you digging that might ensnare your own soul?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity (לְהַשְׁקִיט לוֹ מִימֵי רָע)—God's instruction (torah, v. 12) provides shaqat (quietness, rest, tranquility) amid suffering. Not escape from the storm but peace within it. Until the pit be digged for the wicked promises eschatological justice—vindication delayed is not vindication denied.
This temporal paradox saturates Scripture: believers suffer now while the wicked prosper, yet final reversals are certain. Jesus promised tribulation in this world but ultimate peace (John 16:33). The 'rest' isn't circumstantial comfort but soul-anchored confidence in God's sovereign timeline.