“God is a righteous judge,
and a God who feels indignation every day.” Psalm 7:11 (ESV)
These days, justice is a sticky topic.
Lately, the word “justice” is splattered across headlines and banners. “Justice” evokes emotions like anger, defensiveness, frustration, and indignation.
And we like to think of God as a loving, merciful God. But we also want to know he is just, and evil won’t go unpunished. (Sometimes we want mercy for ourselves and justice for others.)
But mostly we just want life to be fair.
Injustice in the World
We don’t have to look far to discover unfairness. And those who are on the receiving end of injustice want to know that their plight matters.
- Victims of crime want justice.
- Those falsely accused plead for justice.
- The underdog, the marginalized, the persecuted…they deserve justice.
- We hear cries for racial justice, social justice, liberty and justice for all.
So I have to wonder, does God even care?
God’s Passion for Justice
As a matter of fact, Psalm 7 tells us God “feels indignation,” and “if a man does not repent, God will whet his sword.”
God is a merciful God, but he is a just God. And he’s an all-knowing and all-discerning God. He searches hearts and motives.
God knows who is truly guilty, and he will not allow the culprits to go unpunished. He will bring to justice those who are, as verse 14 calls them, “pregnant with evil.”
Moreover, God will vindicate the innocent and the falsely accused.
Throughout the Bible, we see God’s passion for justice. When we read through passages like Exodus 23:1-9, for example, we see how God cares deeply about truth, honesty, and fairness. Also, he cares about the underdog: the poor, the widow, the foreigner, the oppressed. We see the same thing in verses such as Leviticus 19:15 and Deuteronomy 16:18-20.
Justice is a recurring theme in the Psalms:
The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed. Psalm 103:6 (ESV)
Likewise, the prophets pronounced God’s justice.
For I the Lord love justice;
I hate robbery and wrong;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Isaiah 61:8 (ESV)
And in case we forget, the book of Hebrews and the book of Romans remind us that God will avenge wrongdoing.
For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” Hebrews 10:30 (ESV)
In the Meantime
Our courts don’t always make the right decisions. And life isn’t always fair. But this I believe: in his own time, in his own way, God will bring about justice.
So I’ll pray for those who suffer injustice and for those who are victims of horrendous crimes. I’ll also search my own heart and strive to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. And I’ll watch to see what God will do.
Because God is the just judge of all the earth.
Father, I look around me and see injustice everywhere. Life isn’t fair. But you see the truth. You know who is right and who is wrong. I’m begging you, Lord, to bring justice. I believe that you are the righteous judge, and those who continue in their evil will experience your wrath.
Read and meditate on Psalm 7. Are you troubled when you see injustice? Have you been treated unfairly? Does it seem like evil-doers are getting away with murder, literally and figuratively? Talk it over with God. Then trust him to bring about justice.
Memorize Psalm 7:11 and cling to that verse as you watch for God to act on behalf of the innocent and the oppressed.