Psalm 82: Defending the weak and fatherless

By Chantalle Wookey

Psalm 82 (NIV)

"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;

   Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Rescue the weak and needy;

   deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

They know nothing, they understand nothing.

   They walk about in darkness;

   all the foundations of the earth are shaken."  

(Psalm 82: 3-5)

There are times in our history when truths like these seem more obvious than ever before. I decided to test this theory by checking today's newspapers. They are littered with stories about the Eurozone crisis, the fact that Munch's The Scream has sold for £74m and even a pensioner who is requesting a sex change! Article after article of proclaimed experts work themselves into a frenzy over our economic woes and decisions over non-life threatening operations yet I had to search quite hard to dig out a news story on the growing humanitarian crises in Africa's Sahel region as famine spreads across the country or the crisis in the Sudan. Despite terrible oppression amongst the poor in our world and even our nation I cannot escape the constant panic over the potential effect of stock market plunges in our papers. 

I am not saying the state of the economy is unimportant but out of our wealth there is more evidence of concern over wealth than the need to defend the fatherless and maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed or to rescue the needy. 

This Psalm cries for God to rise up and judge the earth and for justice on the behalf of the oppressed.  My prayer as I write this is that I may constantly seek God alone, forsaking all other gods (money, authority, recognition from others, arrogance, pride - to name a few possibilities) whilst being guided to do his will in a desperately hurting world. 

God, we recognise that so many in our world are walking about in darkness while the foundations of the earth are shaken.  Teach us to be guided by your will in a hurting world as we anticipate your return when you will right all things with your righteous judgment and your indescribable mercy.  Come quickly, Lord Jesus!