A CRY FOR JUSTICE
Psalm 10:1–4, 12–18
In the middle of January it might be hard to see, but life is waiting to be revealed in a few months. I am not advocating we rush through these cooler days or skip the beauty of a winter morning, but it can be lost on each of us that as the fields and flowers lay dormant for a season, spring will soon make its grand, green appearance. We will celebrate life and the rebirth of what our eyes see and enjoy. The gift, beauty and acknowledgment of life make the difference.
All life has value, meaning and purpose to God. The newborn baby is loved by the Father as much as the prisoner on death row. Christ died on the cross for each soul equally and without reservation. A love like that is hard for us to comprehend, but His ways are beyond our understanding. In this lesson, we are reminded of the sanctity of the unborn and how one day, God will set all things in order and justice will be delivered.
The wicked pursue injustice with no fear of God. (1–4)
It is hard to say, but I imagine the most often asked question to God from people is, “Why?” We look around at the evil in the world and the prosperity of the wicked and cannot rationalize the reason these things take place. The psalmist does not get the answer to the “why” question, but he is given a glimpse into the heart of the wicked. The overwhelming trait of the wicked is arrogance and no respect for life. As I write these words, a man is wanted by law enforcement officials after allegedly murdering and setting fire to an elderly lady just 20 miles from me. This type of evil is unimaginable but common in our broken world. The guilty have no regard for others and no fear of a holy God.
The humble look to God for justice. (12–15)
These verses represent a shift in the thoughts and prayers of the psalmist (as well as the believer). He realizes the certainty of the wickedness of the earth, so he abandons the question of why and seeks the protection we all need that can only be provided by God. Have you considered what separates the unrighteous from the righteous? In a word, humility. The sinful are arrogant, and the redeemed are readily aware of their need for salvation. God is close to the humble and hears their cries. We are not forgotten by God, nor will He neglect His promises to us.
God will overthrow injustice. (16–18)
The wicked and those against God are shortsighted. They live for themselves and the pleasures of the moment. A day is coming when their hedonism and depravity will come to an end. God will remember everyone who oppressed the less fortunate, shed the blood of the innocent and harmed the weak. God’s justice is coming. Where is our hope in times like these? Our hope and confidence are in the sovereignty of God. He remains in control despite what our eyes or feelings may indicate. His punishment for the wicked is eternal and the reward for the righteous is without expiration. When it comes to seeing all life as valuable, where do you stand? Are you lifting the fallen? Are you a voice for those who cannot be heard?
By Bobby McKay
Pastor of New Liberty Baptist Church in Morton, Mississippi
