Day 490: Psalm 82- Tomorrow's Good News-Today!

God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: 2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah

3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
 
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; 7 nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”
 
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!
 
Meditation
Would your day be different if you had tomorrow’s news today? Would your investments change if you knew how the stock market would act, your plans change if you knew the weather, or your demeanor change if you knew when the next cultural crisis will come? Christians know tomorrow’s good news and hope for present formation…
 
Judgment is good news for Christians because in Christ justice has been satisfied. As Noah was safe from judgment on the ark so we are safe from judgment in Christ. For this reason we can join the Psalmist in praying for tomorrow’s headline to come today- Lord, judge the earth (8)!
 
Praying for tomorrow’s good news to come today is to pray for justice to come for the weak and fatherless and for the afflicted and destitute to have rights (3). God’s justice will rescue the weak and needy, delivering them from the wicked (4). In a fallen world where our hearts cry, “How long?!?!” (2) we can hold eternal hope. God is the just judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25) and He will righteously judge all the earth (Psalm 89:9). There are no gods like our God (1-2, 5-7)!
 
Judgment is good news for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ, those who are weak, afflicted with sin, and need a Savior. Tomorrow’s good news is here today- Hope and refuge comes through Christ alone.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Judgment of God is good news for Christians and bad news for those who don’t know Jesus as Savior. Have you been made right with God through Christ’s work on the cross?
 
-Do you know someone who has not? Does tomorrow’s good news give you urgency today for a friend, family member, co-worker, or neighbor? Will you share the salvation we have in Christ alone?
 
-The Psalmist grabs hope from tomorrow’s good news through prayer. His heart for the weak, fatherless, needy, and afflicted is reflected in prayer for justice and judgment. Take a moment to pray for the realities of God’s eternal justice to be manifest today. Christ has come- Christ will come again!
 
Key Verse
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!