Day 9.
But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
and he judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with uprightness. (Psalm 9:7, 8 ESV)
As I sit down to write there is a thunderstorm outside. The lightning is frighteningly close and the thunder is popping loud to the point of shaking the house. It is a bit unnerving. Since reading the account of Noah last week I can’t help but think about that first rain to fall on the earth. It was the judgment of God. It must have been filled with lightning and thunder, God riding on the clouds bringing his judgement upon the earth. His judgement is a terrifying thing.
And yet, it is also a source of great comfort. That is how the Psalmist uses it here. It is God’s justice that gives him hope that oppression will not continue forever; that there will be a reckoning. Justice will come to all. No wrong will go unpunished. God is not a judge that can be fooled with clever arguments or from whom evidence can be hidden. Everything lies exposed before God.
Where does that leave us? It leaves us trusting God to right the wrongs done to us on the one hand, and leads us to repent and plead for mercy from the judge on the other.
Can you think of wrongs done to you for which you desire justice? Can you think of offenses of your own that await justice?
Pray for justice and plead for mercy as you spend time in prayer.
Chronological Reading Plan plus Psalms: Job 21-23, Ps 9
We can think of things we have done that await justice but thankfully we have been cleaned from them.