Read Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19.
Today’s reading from the Psalms is a prayer for a leader who brings about a society that is just, prosperous, without oppression, and stable. While this was written during a particular moment in history, it may lead us to think about the context in which we find ourselves.
The grand, poetic language of the psalm and the picture it paints of such a flourishing society can feel out of reach amidst the seemingly insurmountable problems we face --especially those that are on a broad systemic scale. But the psalmist doesn’t just ask for a good leader and for prosperity. By asking for God’s justice and God’s righteousness, the prayer is a declaration: God is the source of justice. God is the definition of righteousness. It is God who defends the afflicted and saves the children of the needy. It is God who will end oppression and bring flourishing.
How do we have hope, and really imagine it to be possible that we can move from where we are toward more justice, more righteousness, and more care for those who are struggling? To hope, we must have an underlying belief that in the most seemingly intractable challenges of our society, our families, and our lives, change is possible. The foundation of hope is trust. Do we trust that God is truly working things out for our good and God’s glory?
As the Psalm declares that the qualities we yearn to see in our world come from God, it also points to the incarnation of our hope: Jesus. He is that perfect leader, the king who embodies God’s justice, God’s righteousness, and God’s heart for the needy. He offers the living water that refreshes us “like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.” He is the reason we can trust that God intervenes.
Prayer: Are there areas of my life where I am resigned, rather than hopeful? Spirit, show me the places in my life where my attitude or the way I speak or my choices reflect a lack of trust that you are really working in those circumstances. Help me to trust you more so that I may hope more. Help me to remember and to declare that you are active in our world and in my life.
Written by Sonja Hatten
