Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 179: God is Judge Over All

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Psalms 80-85, but my focus will be Psalm 82.

God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers. How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?  Selah
Vindicate the weak and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. They do not know nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said "You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High. Nevertheless you will die like men and fall like any one of the princes." Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is You who possess all the nations.

Okay. Now, I know I said I don't like Asaph's psalms, and that is true about 80% of the time.

This one, though, is awesome.

In this Psalm, Asaph cries out to God, reminding Him that He possesses all the nations, and asking Him to rise up and judge fairly and righteously, unlike the judges of the earth who show the wrong kind of bias.

What I really like about this psalm is how relevant it is even today.

There are judges today who judge unfairly, or unrighteously. Their focus is on the wrong thing, and so they do not truly seek justice.

When I read something in the Bible that is completely relevant so many years later, it always makes me smile. No matter what I'm going through, or what is going on in the world, I'm reminded that it isn't new.

And then I'm reminded of one of my favorite verses:

Ecclesiastes 1:9 - That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.

So, the next time someone you know is panicking or complaining about a "new" injustice, remind them of this verse, and then remind them that God is in charge and always has been. He may give us all free will and let us make our own choices, but He will be the Judge in the end. All the earth is His, and that includes all nations.

It's important for us not to get caught up in fear or anger over what's going on around us. Instead, we must seek God's peace as we cry out to Him, asking Him to move in situations that are unjust.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Psalms 86-89.