A Call for Justice

 

Psalm 10:12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
    forget not the afflicted.
13 Why does the wicked renounce God
    and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
    that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless commits himself;
    you have been the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
    call his wickedness to account till you find none.
16 The Lord is king forever and ever;
    the nations perish from his land.
17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18 to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
    so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

As we saw yesterday, God is Righteous, and it is His righteousness that moves us to call out to Him. The psalmist here begins this Psalm with a cry: Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? He then proceeds to describe all the unrighteousness he sees around him: arrogance, wickedness, scheming, boasting, greediness, cursing, deceit, oppression, murder, taking advantage of the poor and helpless.  This is all done with an attitude of rebellion against God.  So this psalmist calls out: God does see, God has helped before: He is the King Who cares for His people. He is the righteous One Who does justice.  Let us remind ourselves of Who God is and what He is like, as we call out to Him and ask Him to bring justice on the earth.