A Righteous Judge Is GOD

"O YAHWEH, my GOD, in YOU I take shelter; deliver me, and save me from all my pursuers,

lest lions tear me to pieces, with no one to rescue me.

O YAHWEH, my GOD, if my hands are stained with guilt--if with evil, I have repaid good, if I have plundered unjustly my opponent, let the enemy hound me; let him crush me to the ground and lay down my liver in the dust.

Arise, O YAHWEH, in YOUR wrath; rise up against the fury of my foes.  Awake, O my GOD, and judge the nations, for the time of judgment has come.

Let the nations gather around YOU; and YOU take YOUR seat high above them.

Proclaim, O YAHWEH, my righteousness; YOU see, that I am blameless.

Bring to an end the power of the wicked, but affirm the just, O righteous GOD, searcher of mind and heart.

YOU cover me as a shield, Oh GOD, for YOU protect the upright.

A righteous judge is GOD, HIS anger ever awaiting those who refuse to repent."

- Psalm 7:2-12

(We have no difficulty with the opening of this psalm but the confident claim of innocence that follows it, is frightening.  We prefer to invoke GOD's mercy rather than invite HIS strict scrutiny.  But perhaps we have no cause for misgiving.  A Christian may confidently boast that he or she is 'just' because the righteousness that is the property of GOD alone is truly and internally communicated to the Christian.  In CHRIST HIMSELF, the righteousness of GOD appears and becomes available to those who have access by faith and baptism to the power of CHRIST's resurrection.  This is the 'justness' we can boast of when we sing this psalm: 'Let those who boast, boast in the LORD.'

When we dream about a more just society, while deathly violence surrounds us, we can pray with this psalm, aware that justice will prevail and in gratitude we sing praises to the LORD.)

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