21 Days of Prayer in Psalm 119 (Day #16)

Read Psalm 119:121-128

        “Justice”

From today’s timely reading I will focus on verse 121, and verses 126-127. Today is the day that we remember a man known for his commitment and sacrifice for racial and economic justice in America—Martin Luther King, Jr.  It is a good segue from yesterday’s exhortation to single-mindedness, for King was adamant in his stand for a non-violent approach to advocating for justice. While still a complex and flawed man, he embodied the ideal of standing in love for the rights of the oppressed.

Over 3000 years ago, the psalmist wrote,

I have done what is just and right;
    do not leave me to my oppressors. (v. 121)

Have we taken a stand for justice or do we enjoy the benefits of an unjust system too much

to do so? If we claim, like the psalmist, to be God’s servant (v. 125) then we must be about God’s business—and the Lord is very serious about justice for the oppressed and powerless. In fact, you don’t have to read the writings of the Old Testament prophets very long to see the heart of God on this issue. We all have our part to play in doing what is just and right. What is it that the Lord is asking us to do today? I may write, others cook, some teach, others still build, etc. The point is not that we all become the same or do the same thing in order to effect change, but that we all become who the Lord created us to be so that everything that needs to be done can be done by humble men and women empowered by the Holy Spirit.

We need to be content with what we have received from the Lord, and yet discontent with the status quo of social injustice. Business as usual doesn’t cut it when there are some who are being oppressed because of our actions or inactions. I think the psalmist captures this angst in v.126,

It is time for the Lord to act,
    for your law has been broken.

If we have any kind of compassion in our hearts we have probably prayed this verse even if we didn’t know it was in the Bible! Sometimes it is hard to watch the news that floods in from all over the world. We shake our hearts, wipe our tears, and ask “How long Lord?” as we long for his salvation to come (v. 123). Yet, if we open our eyes a little wider we can see that the Lord is acting even now—through Spirit-filled individuals and redemptive communities who have answered his call—even though he is withholding his final judgment so that we might repent (2 Peter 3:9).

Yet the work that needs to be done in us and in our communities, is not only that which might commonly be considered “spiritual,” but extends to the economic. My late pastor used to say that you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their checkbook (yes it was before people stopped using them). The point being that our spending habits reflect our priorities, values, and affections. What happens when our biblical beliefs collide with our economics? In such a case, do we still cry out for the Lord to act or do we pull back and protect our “resources”? For many people living in countries hostile to the cause of Christ this is a very real dilemma. For those of us in the west, it is not generally more than a philosophical question. However, our very soul may be more in danger than we realize. Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:24 and 25:31-48 reveal the very spiritual side of our economic practises. Who do we love? Who do we see? How will we spend? The psalmist boldly declares his decision,

^“Therefore I love your commandments
    above gold, above fine gold.” (Psalm 119:127)

Such a loving resolve should direct us even today.