Day 5
Read Psalm 9
Justice: Many of the Psalms are cries for God’s justice. In fact, the truth that God is a just God, is what keeps many of the Psalm writers going. Psalm 9 begins with praise, but we quickly find out that the Psalmist does not have a simple and easy life. He speaks of his enemies in verses 3, 5, 6, 13, 15, and 19. And yet, because of his steadfast faith in God’s justice, he is able to offer praise in the midst of his struggles. Justice, by definition, is about what is right, fair, and good. When the Psalmist says that God is just, he is saying that God will ultimately make things right. So, he says in verse 9 that “The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble” and in verse 18, “For the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever.” Because God is just, things will be made right again.
Judgment: Justice implies judgment. The world we live in is unjust, therefore for God to make the world right He must judge the world. In verse 19, the Psalmist says, “Rise up, O LORD! Do not let mortals prevail; let the nations be judged before you. Put them in fear, O LORD; let the nations know that they are only human.” We don’t like the word judgment. It sounds harsh. We love the word justice; we want things to be right; we want injustices to stop. But, we don’t like the word judgment. Biblically you can’t have one without the other. If justice is to come to the world, the brokenness, oppression, exploitation and injustice must be judged – it has to be stopped in order for justice to be a reality.
Mercy: Mercy (or grace) is the choice to not give someone what they deserve. In other words, mercy is to choose to not judge them even though they deserve to be judged. God is merciful and God is just. How can He be both? How can God be both just, and therefore judge evil, and merciful, and therefore forgive evil, at the same time? Enter Christ and the cross. Jesus was judged for the sins of the world, in order to make the world right again. And through that judgment, God has mercy on us. Christ took upon Himself what we deserved, so that we could be given what only He deserved.
Justice, Judgment, and Mercy – praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
Prayer Spend some time reflecting on the three words above. What “justice” do you long for? Can you identify with the Psalmist when he says, “let the nations know that they are only human?” Reflect on what it means for God to be both just and merciful and then spend time thanking Him for the mercy we find in Jesus whose judgment (and resurrection) we are preparing for during this time of Lent.
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