The Only Just Judge

This week, we are exploring passages in Psalms. Today, we will focus on God’s judgment, and trusting that He is a just judge. Before we begin, let’s start with a prayer.

Heavenly Father, I praise You and thank You for Your presence in my life. Through every situation I find myself in, I appreciate that You are a just God, and I can put my trust in You to lead me through. Amen.
 
Psalm 7 (NLT)  
1 I come to you for protection, O Lord my God.

    Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!

2 If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion,

    tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

3 O Lord my God, if I have done wrong

    or am guilty of injustice,

4 if I have betrayed a friend

    or plundered my enemy without cause,

5 then let my enemies capture me.

    Let them trample me into the ground

    and drag my honor in the dust.

6 Arise, O Lord, in anger!

    Stand up against the fury of my enemies!

    Wake up, my God, and bring justice!

7 Gather the nations before you.

    Rule over them from on high.

8 The Lord judges the nations.

Declare me righteous, O Lord,

    for I am innocent, O Most High!

9 End the evil of those who are wicked,

    and defend the righteous.

For you look deep within the mind and heart,

    O righteous God.

10 God is my shield,

    saving those whose hearts are true and right.

11 God is an honest judge.

    He is angry with the wicked every day.

12 If a person does not repent,

    God will sharpen his sword;

    he will bend and string his bow.

13 He will prepare his deadly weapons

    and shoot his flaming arrows.

14 The wicked conceive evil;

    they are pregnant with trouble

    and give birth to lies.

15 They dig a deep pit to trap others,

   then fall into it themselves.

16 The trouble they make for others backfires on them.

    The violence they plan falls on their own heads.

17 I will thank the Lord because he is just;

    I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

David is once again being pursued by enemies, but he continues to trust God to judge righteously. How often do we find ourselves in situations where we feel persecuted? Think of a time when you were in this situation, and what your thoughts and emotions were surrounding the circumstances.

Rather than focusing negatively or anticipating “the other shoe to drop,” David is showing us that God is just, and we need only to trust in Him to carry out that justice. I challenge you to keep your sight on God, focusing on trusting Him and remembering that He is still just in times of strife. It may not squelch all the anxieties and frustration you feel, but it can alleviate the loneliness in those moments. It can provide hope that God can, and will, offer justice.

This can be hard to wrestle with. When we feel wronged or persecuted in some way, we tend to try to deal with it on our own and seek retribution to ensure justice is carried out. How do you feel about leaving it to God and trusting that He will pass just judgment? What reservations, if any, do you have with this?  

Take a few moments to brainstorm and spend time in prayer about your thoughts and feelings. Feel free to use the following prompts to help guide you.

God, I want to trust that You are just. Help me to...

God, You are a just God, but I struggle with...

I pray that you feel God’s love around you. As you follow His commands and carry out His will, even in times when you feel forces are against you, may you know that He is there. He knows what you are going through, and He will dole out just judgment, even if you don’t see it directly.