Psalm 82 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 82 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
Verse 2"How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
Verse 3Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
Verse 4Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."
Verse 5They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
Verse 6I say, "You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;
Verse 7nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince."
Verse 8Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!
Devotion
Yesterday I asked if you ever speak for God. In this Psalm, God does the speaking … and God isn’t happy. God sees bad things happening in the world: widows and orphans who need care, the poor who need to be clothed and fed, victims of political persecution or physical abuse who need to be set free. And God is laying the blame at the feet of those who can do something about it. Here it appears to be the ‘heavenly council’ – perhaps other gods of the ancient world, or, indirectly, folks who worship them.
But read a little deeper between the lines: God wants the world to reflect his care for it. Someone needs to do something about it. Do you have hands to serve? Eyes to see? Gifts to share? What could you do if God were speaking to you?
Prayer
May I care for your people as you do, God of mercy. Amen.