Psalm 58 – Day 1

"Then at last everyone will say, 'There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.'" – Psalm 58:11 NLT

There are times when injustice seems to be everywhere. We read the newspaper or watch TV and are appalled at what we read and see. The innocent suffer at the hands of the wicked. The weak fall prey to the strong. Bigger nations take advantage of smaller ones. And nobody seems capable of doing anything about it. Governments posture and promote plans to bring about justice, but there efforts make little or no dent in the situation. Oftentimes, those very same governments are perpetrating acts of injustice of their own. As David put it, violence continues to spread through the land. Nobody seems to even know what the word justice really means anymore. Except God. Even though David felt as if justice was a lost cause in his day, he knew he could appeal to God because He is just and righteous. God not only sees all the injustice going on, He can do something about it. Even though David felt impotent to do anything about "these wicked people" who "spit venom like deadly snakes," he knew that God was more than powerful enough to deal with it all. So he turns to God. In his frustration, David asks God to do to these people exactly what he would do if he could. His request is graphic and less-than-compassionate. David pulls no punches. He asks God to wipe these people off the face of the earth. At first blush, a reading of David's request to God might disturb us. It comes across as so violent and unloving. But it also reveals David's hatred of injustice. He can't stand to see the unjust go unpunished, because he understands that they are in direct opposition to his God. He refuses to tolerate or grow accustomed to injustice, just because he is powerless to do anything about it. But too often we do just that. We grow callous about it all because there appears to be nothing we can do. We read the stories of injustice going on in the world and we turn a deaf ear and a blind eye. We tend to ignore what we feel like we can't impact. We know injustice is taking place, but because we feel powerless to do anything about it, we slowly learn to tolerate it – as long as it's not happening to us. But David was a man after God's own heart. He loved what God loved and hated what God hated. So David hated injustice and he appealed to the only one who could do anything about it. He asked God to act. He cried out to God to bring justice because God is just.

And here's what David was counting on: God will act. God will judge. God will bring justice. "Surely there is a God who judges justly here on the earth" (Psalm 58:11 NLT). The day is coming when justice really will prevail. God will deal with the unjust and avenge those who have suffered at their hands. When we see injustice taking place, we need to call out to God for His help. We need to ask Him what He would have us do as His hands and feet on this planet. Injustice should make us long for justice. Sin should make us long for His salvation. Wickedness should make us long for righteousness. Darkness should make us long for His light. Instead of ignoring injustice or becoming callous to its presence, we should learn to see it clearly and long to watch God remove it completely.

Father, there is injustice in the land. It is all around us and we are powerless to do anything about it. But You're not, so I ask that You intervene and that You do what only You can do. Bring justice. Protect the innocent. Establish righteousness. Remove wickedness. Send Your Son to right all wrong and avenge all injustice. So that the righteous might rejoice. Amen