Is Justice Possible? A 7-Day Devotional Sýnishorn

A Justice Parade

Psalm 72 was sung at the coronations of the kings of Israel. It affirms the God-empowered role of the king in bringing justice to the people, which was never perfectly executed by human rulers but ultimately points ahead to a Davidic ruler who will be just.

With fanfare, the psalm begins, “Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!” (vv. 1–2). You can hear the cry of the people in those words. They long for justice to reign. They yearn for righteousness to rule in the land—not the oppression and injustice so typically experienced. Note the group specifically identified, the poor. Without resources and often downtrodden, they needed the protection of the king. The psalm enhances this picture in two places.

First, in verse 4 it reads, “May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!” Don’t overlook the key responsibility in the kingly job description. The king is to bring justice to the land, especially for the poor. He is to defend them, deliver them, and fight for them (cf. Prov. 31:4, 8–9).

This emphasis is again seen in verses 12–14: “For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.” The king accepts this charge as he ascends the throne. He is to hear the cry of the poor, have pity on them, and deliver them from oppression and mistreatment. He is to do so because he places great value on their lives and does not view them as expendable.

The parade of earthly kings who held the throne of David never fulfilled this solemn charge. They couldn’t because they were plagued by the same sin nature as the rest of humanity. But a future king will perfectly carry out this divine mandate—Jesus, when He returns in power and glory. One commentator agrees as he writes these words about Psalm 72, “As a royal psalm it prayed for the reigning king, and was a strong reminder of his high calling; yet it exalted this so far beyond the humanly attainable . . . as to suggest for its fulfillment no less a person than the Messiah.”

Discussion Question: Does the idea of justice reigning excite you, or does it not concern you too much? Why might you feel neutral about the idea of justice fully reigning?