God of Justice
Joseph works at Just Love UK, a ministry equipping young Christians to pursue justice in the way of Jesus.
Psalm 146: 5-9, ESV
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
While I’ve been at Gas Street church, one of the most significant things God has taught me is that he is a God of justice - something on full display in today’s passage.
It’s a beautiful reminder of how much God cares deeply about the injustices in our world. But, more than that, it tells us that God is actively working to right these injustices.
The Hebrew word mishpat, translated here as ‘executes justice’ in verse 7, can also be translated as ‘giving people what they are due.’ While mishpat can be used in the context of God's judgement of wrongdoers, it’s used more often in the Old Testament for giving people their rights. It’s about recognising the image of God in another person and treating them with the care that that image requires.*
By saying he ‘executes justice’ for the oppressed, the hungry, the fatherless, and the widow - the most vulnerable people in Israel’s society, those most likely to be forgotten - God declares he places great worth on people whom the world largely ignores, and that he is working for their good.
And this isn’t a one-off - mishpat is used over two hundred times in the Old Testament, often to describe God’s character and reference his love for the same four groups of vulnerable people in today's passage.**
Our God’s character doesn’t change, whatever the context. When we see injustice today - whether that’s homelessness, poverty, or any other brokenness - God is not unmoved. He cares far more than we do and is eager to act - to bring mishpat justice to those suffering.
Tomorrow, we’ll explore how we are called to practise justice in response - but today, I want this awareness of injustice to fuel our prayers.
Prayer - [Bring to mind an injustice in our city or the world.] Lord God, I know that this issue weighs heavily on your heart and you’re working to put these things right. Please comfort those affected, stir hearts to recognise your image in these beloved children, and bring change where there is oppression.
*Timothy Keller, Generous Justice (Hodder & Stoughton, 2010)
** Deuteronomy 10:17-18, Jeremiah 22:3, and Zechariah 7:10-11 are a few examples of many (!)