January 24
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PSALM 82 RESCUE THE VULNERABLE!
God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.6 I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you;7 nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!– Psalm 82:1-8
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The ESV study bible notes that this psalm is sometimes called a community lament since it addresses God directly with a request on behalf of the whole people. Others call it a prophetic hymn like Psalm 81 interpreting its address to the “gods” as directed to unjust human rulers, whom God will judge. This psalm teaches that the people of God are called to aspire to be an ideal society with their justice visible.
We clearly hear Asaph addressing the corrupt rulers in verse 2 who do not show justice in their territory. He pleads these rulers to ensure that the weak, the fatherless and the needy be looked after. In verse 4, he pleads them to take action to free the weak and the poor from the slavery of the wicked. The writer challenges the rulers to act like they are representing God, who is just and takes care of the vulnerable. Ideally, most governments of various nations do their best to have equality between the rich and the poor; but in reality, there are also many corrupt leaders who abuse their authority and power. They minimize and marginalize the weak and the needy. In these nations where there is no equality, you’ll see that the rich are super wealthy and the poor are unable to live a dignified life. We see clearly that there isn’t a just leadership when these things happen.
Asaph wants God’s people to love others especially the weak. He explains in verse 5 about their vulnerability and lack of understanding. He warns these rulers who do not consider caring for these members of society that are almost forgotten and neglected. In the end of verse 5, he uses “the foundations of the earth are shaken” to describe God’s judgment on these corrupt leaders. The psalm closes with a prayer for God to judge the earth. The basis of this request is that all nations belong to God already.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important for us to constantly pray for our leaders to rule justly?