How Long?

How Long?

 God takes his stand in the council of heaven; *
he gives judgment in the midst of the gods: 
² "How long will you judge unjustly, *
and show favor to the wicked? 
³ Save the weak and the orphan; *
defend the humble and needy; 
⁴ Rescue the weak and the poor; *
deliver them from the power of the wicked. 
⁵ They do not know, neither do they understand;
they go about in darkness; *
all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 
⁶ Now I say to you, 'You are gods, *
and all of you children of the Most High; 
⁷ Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, *
and fall like any prince.'" 
⁸ Arise, O God, and rule the earth, *
for you shall take all nations for your own.

Psalm 82.  Some Psalms are crying to God for relief, lamenting to God, "How long?" In this, God asks those in authority that question. 

How are people and politicians who profess Jesus ("Why do they call me 'Lord, Lord' and don't do what I tell them?"); how are these persons deaf to this Word?

I guess we/they go about in darkness; and the unjust actions have actually cosmic consequences, "shaking the foundations of earth." [v. 5b]

Scholars have no consensus on all the assemblies of gods, gods dying like humans, and so forth. Let's just say that no beings escape accountability! It is clear where God stands!  Injustice is the world-shaking cause of dying like mortals. As Paul said, sin is the bringer of death, and we have only to look around to observe that fact.

Interestingly enough, Jesus quotes v. 6. in Jn 10:34 in an argument where he is revealing his own nature. God speaks calling listeners to themselves, their own natures. In response, the community asks God to move. 

Sometimes I think that because I'm old and kind of frail there's not much I can do about all the injustices battering so many; but at least I can pray this Psalm, asking the Sovereign of all to take all nations for God's own.

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