A Cry for Justice

Psalms 82:1-8
A Psalm of Asaph.

1 God stands in the congregation of the mighty;
He judges among the gods.

2 How long will you judge unjustly,
And show partiality to the wicked?

Selah

3 Defend the poor and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and needy.

4 Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked.

5 They do not know, nor do they understand;
They walk about in darkness;
All the foundations of the earth are unstable.

6 I said, "You are gods,
And all of you are children of the Most High.
7 But you shall die like men,
And fall like one of the princes."

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth;
For You shall inherit all nations.

This is a cry pleading for God to exercise judgment for justice to prevail in the world.  The psalmist Asaph sang this as he watched the world judge without justice, showing favoritism to those associated with the corrupt rulers.  Nothing has changed much since then.  People ascend to power through force of coupes in autocratic nations or by manipulation of voters in democracies.  Either way, most in power show partiality to friends and backers of influence for their power and control.  Truth and justice often fall to the wayside, and we may ask God to come quickly to exercise His true justice in righteous judgment as man cannot.  Think and dwell on these things.  The call is to defend the poor and orphaned ones unable to care for themselves, who are exploited and ignored or starved.  It is also to give fair judgment of justice for those desperately in need of help as victims of others, ones not able to get help on their own.  We should pry them out of the hands of wicked men by leveraging justice for all, the hallmark of liberty in equitable treatment, not weighted one way or the other.  Such is possible on an individual level, but only fully by God on the national level.  We do not ignore our own responsibility, but do not expect it from the world’s governing systems.  The theocracy to come after the resurrection is our solid expectation and true hope for the justice which we cry out for.  This world walks in darkness (John 12:35, 1 John 2:11, Ephesians 6:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:4), and cannot understand the light which God brings in Christ as John 1:5 tells us.  Their foundation is unstable (Matthew 7:26-27) as is every system on earth; only God’s rule is truly just and fair.  The scripture in verse 6 here tells us also that the mighty ones of the earth, its judges and princes, die the same as the poor and oppressed.  They are not above death and final justice in judgment.  The righteous Judge will administer justice as He inherits the nations of all the world as His own (Acts 17:26, Revelation 5:9-10, 14:6-7).  He prepared a place for we the people of God through Christ, and demonstrates His mercy triumphing over judgment for us by grace through faith in His work of righteousness (John 6:29, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Romans 3:22, 10:4).  Our cry for justice has been heard in His mercy for His chosen who know they are poor, afflicted, and in need (Psalm 89:14, Isaiah 16:5, Zechariah 7:9).