God’s Justice and Righteousness
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does wonders. Blessed be his glorious name forever; the whole earth is filled with his glory. Amen and amen.
Psalm 72:18-19 (CSB)
A follower of Christ must pray for the leaders of their nations. We may agree or disagree with their policies and approaches to ruling, but the Word of God states that we must pray for them. We must seek the Lord to provide them with wisdom, and ultimately, we must pray for their salvation. We must seek the Lord for the leaders to rule justly and to reign in a manner that brings peace. Psalm 72 exemplifies a heart praying for their leaders.
Prayer For God’s Guidance To Rule (1-4). The Psalmist begins with a prayer for the king to reign in justice and righteousness. This prayer for righteousness focuses on the ruler leading according to the ways and will of the Lord. It is a prayer for the leader to surrender to the Lord. Similarly, the prayer for justice requests that the ruler reigns with justice as defined by the Lord, not according to human standards. We must commit to praying for God’s guidance for our rulers today.
Seeking to Demonstrate Lasting Justice (5-7). The Psalmist prays that the Lord would enable the ruler to maintain a reign of justice. This prayer acknowledges the threat every ruler faces—that the power and prestige of their position can blind them to true justice. The Psalmist desires justice to be enduring, not just a fleeting moment. We must seek the Lord to provide lasting justice today, rooted not in the ideologies or ways of the world but in the Lord.
The Vision For Ultimate Reign (8-11). The Psalmist prays that the king's rule would expand to become a worldwide reign. This foreshadows Christ's ultimate rule, which will be universal in scope. When we pray for rulers today, we seek for righteousness and justice rooted in the Lord to transcend borders and become a global reality.
Providing For Those In Need (12-14). The Psalmist sees the necessity to meet the needs of the poor. He desires for the leaders to hear the cry of those in need and to respond accordingly. Truly, the Psalmist is seeking a compassionate defender of the needy. In Christ, the ultimate need has been met by the work on the cross and the victory in the resurrection. When we experience Christ, we seek to extend acts of mercy and justice to allow Christ to become known.
Continual Prayer and Praise (15-20). Believers must never stop praying for the leaders in our world. We must seek the Lord on their behalf because they face temptations all around them and strive to lead with justice and righteousness. We pray for their salvation because many do not know the Lord and, as a result, cannot genuinely lead with true justice and righteousness. We never cease praying because God never stops working. Thus, we continuously praise the Lord, knowing He is forever on the throne.
QUESTIONS
How can we reflect Jesus through the extesion of mercy and justice?
Why must we continually pray and praise?
