The poor can run to you
because you are a fortress
in times of trouble.
Everyone who honors your name
can trust you,
because you are faithful
to all who depend on you.
You rule from Zion, Lord,
and we sing about you
to let the nations know
everything you have done.
You did not forget
to punish the guilty
or listen to the cries
of those in need.
Please have mercy, Lord!
My enemies mistreat me.
Keep me from the gates
that lead to death,
and I will sing about you
at the gate to Zion.
I will be happy there
because you rescued me.
Our Lord, the nations fell
into their own pits,
and their feet were caught
in their own traps.
You showed what you are like,
and you made certain
that justice is done,
but evil people are trapped
by their own evil deeds.
The wicked will go down
to the world of the dead
to be with those nations
that forgot about you.
The poor and the homeless
won’t always be forgotten
and without hope.
Do something, Lord!
Don’t let the nations win.
Make them stand trial
in your court of law.
Make the nations afraid
and let them all discover
just how weak they are. (Contemporary English Version)
Everyone gets angry. Every single person on planet earth knows what anger feels like. And, to me, it makes sense that people get angry. After all, God gets angry. As people created in God’s image, we share God’s sense of justice and injustice.
That’s really what anger is: an emotional response to injustice. Whenever we are wronged or treated unfairly – or observe another person or group of people experiencing injustice – it stirs up our anger.
So, anger, in and of itself, is neither good nor bad. It just is. It’s what we do with our anger that gets dicey. A lot of human anger gets expressed in unhealthy ways by either passively stuffing it down into the soul and ignoring it; aggressively lashing out with verbal or physical violence; or passive-aggressively doing indirect jabs at the object of our anger.
The psalmist, however, takes another way of expressing anger. He is assertive, straightforward, and addressed God with his observations and feelings, as well as affirming that the Lord is the One who administers justice with fairness and equity.
When the poor are overlooked or oppressed by the rich, it is unjust. It creates anger, both human and divine. In their misery and hardship, they can flee to God, who is faithful to care for them and treat them with respect and dignity, as people carrying the divine image, like everyone else.
The nations of the earth are not all attentive to the needy. They don’t all serve their citizens and try to do right by them. Unfortunately, many people throughout the world groan under national leadership which is enamored with power and privilege – and forget those who are powerless, unable to lift themselves by their bootstraps.
Because of this reality, the psalmist petitions God. He asks, even insists, that God step in and act as judge and jury. It is an assertive use of anger that goes to the source of true help, to the Lord, who possesses both the will and the ability to overturn injustice and establish a right use of power.
Holy Scripture is consistent in its insistence on paying attention to those outside the halls of power. The prophets directed their message to issues of justice:
Learn to live right. See that justice is done. Defend widows and orphans and help those in need. (Isaiah 1:17, CEV)
Just look at those lawmakers who write evil laws and make life hard for the people. They are not fair to the poor. They take away the rights of the poor and allow people to steal from widows and orphans. (Isaiah 10:1-2, ERV)
He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8, CEB)
Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want. (Amos 5:24, MSG)
Doing justice is taking up the cause of the powerless, the oppressed, and the needy among us in society. Because God cares, we care. To ignore the poor is to ignore God. To treat them unfairly is to flip the middle finger at God.
The Lord, thankfully, is a strong fortress for the oppressed and a protective force in times of trouble.
God remembers the prayers of the down-and-out.
Sooner, or later, those who are wicked in their dealings through exploitation of the powerless, will know firsthand, they are puny humans, and that God is immensely big.
Today’s psalm is both an angry petition, as well as an affirmation of faith. May it serve as a model for using our anger assertively, ordering our love rightly, and trusting our God confidently.
God almighty, you have given all peoples one common origin. It is your will they be gathered together as one family in yourself. Fill the hearts of humanity with the fire of your love and with the desire to ensure justice for all. By sharing the good you give us, may we ensure equity for all our brothers and sisters throughout the world. May there be an end to division, strife and war. May there be a dawning of a truly human society built on love and peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
**Above image: The Kveshi Fortress in the nation of Georgia.
Rev. Tim Ehrhardt 