Defending the Defenseless; Psalm 82, Proverbs 31

May the mumbling commence!

You and I, we look around and see injustice.  We see the poor and fatherless taken advantage of – and no one comes to their defense.  We cry out to You, O Lord.  Defend them.  Save them.  We cry along with the psalmist in Psalm eighty-two:

God stands in the congregation of the mighty;

He judges among the gods. 

How long will you judge unjustly,

And show partiality to the wicked? Selah 

Defend the poor and fatherless;

Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 

Deliver the poor and needy;

Free them from the hand of the wicked. 

They do not know, nor do they understand;

They walk about in darkness;

All the foundations of the earth are unstable. 

I said, "You are gods,

And all of you are children of the Most High. 

But you shall die like men,

And fall like one of the princes." 

Arise, O God, judge the earth;

For You shall inherit all nations.

God, we rely on you to stand justly and to judge wisely.  How long will you delay Your judgment?  Defend the poor and fatherless.  Do justice to the afflicted and needy.  Deliver them.  Free them from the wicked ones.

Neither the persecutors nor the persecuted understand.  They walk about and stumble in the darkness – even the earth seems unstable under their feet.  Bring them understanding.

Yes, we pray along with the psalmist.  But, do we also listen to the Lord’s answer?

The Lord reminds us that we are gods – small “g”.  We are judges in our own right.  We were created in the image of God.  We are children of the Most High. 

So, how well do we judge ourselves and others?  Do we find ourselves among the persecuted or the persecutors?  You see, we – you and I – do not understand.  We belong to one group or the other.

We belong to one group or another until we consciously choose to join in with God.  God has another way.  What have I done to defend the poor and fatherless?  What have I done to see that the afflicted and needy get justice?  How have I tried to give them a voice?  What have I done to deliver the poor and needy? 

And do I realize when my hand – the way I live my life – prevents the most vulnerable people on the earth to suffer injustice? 

Let’s step aside from the limiting groups of persecuted or persecutors and join with the Spirit of the Most High.  Let’s use our position and influences wisely.  Read from Proverbs chapter thirty-one:

It is not for kings, O Lemuel,

It is not for kings to drink wine,

Nor for princes intoxicating drink; 

Lest they drink and forget the law,

And pervert the justice of all the afflicted. (Verses 4-5)

Let us not forget our position as children of the Most High! 

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out