17 How
long, Lord, will you look on?
Rescue
me from their ravages,
my
precious life from these lions.
22
Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do
not be far from me, Lord.
23 Awake,
and rise to my defense!
Contend
for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate
me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
do
not let them gloat over me.
This
is a pretty heavy psalm. Justice is theme we hear much about in the world with
the “social” prefix where the emphasis is helping the less fortunate at best
and at worst just virtue signaling. I have always been confused why in a
naturalistic/survival of the fittest world view, that would occur…but we’ll
leave that to someone else somewhere else. In many churches, especially in
reformed ones, justice comes up only as a reference to the Law, and how
unworthy we are under its just judgment, as the cause and predecessor to Jesus’
coming. I do stand with Paul in Romans 7 in saying it is good and necessary,
but can this really be the only real justice that the Bible has to say anything
about? Of course not! David is feeling unjustly put upon and he is appealing to
the one he knows is the ultimate arbiter of justice, God. Under psalms like
this you get a sample of what the less fortunate have to say when they appeal
to God. Do we think because they may or may not be of “the faith” that God
doesn’t hear them or that we shouldn’t be concerned with them? Of course not.
Those that are victims of sexual assault, systematic and in person racism, and
the poor/orphaned should be our concern. Many in the church just claim that if
we wave the gospel wand over them, everything will be ok. That is the equivalent
of James 2:16 where he says:
If one of you says to them,
"Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,"
but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
"Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,"
but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
This
plea of the oppressed included in scripture should be convicting to us in our
search to reach the world. It must include not only a desire to see their
spirit restored and made alive, but that their bodies and lives be restored as
well. David says:
27 May
those who delight in my vindication
shout
for joy and gladness;
may
they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
who
delights in the well-being of his servant.”
28 My
tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your
praises all day long.
Whether
we are well or that in need, we should work to help each other and seek the
elevation and wellness of those around us, and even more [like 1 Peter 4:8-11]
for those in the body of Christ. We are to praise to glorify and worship Him
when they are restored; glorifying Him out loud, visible and seen/heard by
those around us. Augustine says it well
when he says:
See how I have made a discourse
something longer; you are wearied.
Who endures to praise God all the day long?
I will suggest a remedy whereby you may praise God all the day long, if you will.
Whatever you do, do well, and you have praised God.
Who endures to praise God all the day long?
I will suggest a remedy whereby you may praise God all the day long, if you will.
Whatever you do, do well, and you have praised God.
How
much more is the Lord glorified by serving and helping the poor, oppressed, orphan,
widow, and those put upon by racism and sexual abuse, than just building a
house well or doing good at your job? Let us seek to elevate those around us
hurt by systems, people and themselves, and do it to the glory and praise of
our Father in heaven.
In
Christ,
paul
music for the week (as usual: no claim of being not "offensive" but it is really good):
