Psalms of Justice

PSALM 89:14 reads, “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.” Here is a beautiful statement of some of the attributes of Jehovah’s character, emphasizing particularly the fact of his justice, as featured in the title of today’s lesson. God is indeed just, and all of his righteous judgments are based upon justice; they are never unjust. As the result of “one man’s disobedience,” [God’s] judgment came upon all men unto condemnation, but it was a just judgment.—Rom. 5:18,19

Man was created perfect, and given the ability to obey the divine law. He was forewarned that the penalty for disobedience would be death, hence when the sentence of death was passed upon him because of his sin, God was under no obligation to do anything except to let him die. But in addition to being just, God is loving. “Mercy and truth” are also attributes of his character, and because of his mercy and in keeping with his truth, he made provision for man’s redemption and recovery from death.

PSALM 49:1-7—The principal theme of this passage is more readily grasped by reading opening verse together with verses six and seven—“Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world. … They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” In other words, the entire human race is called upon to note the fact that there is none, regardless of his wealth, who is in a position to redeem his brother; for, through Adam, God’s just sentence of death had come upon all and it was not possible for one condemned man to redeem another.

What is here suggested should constitute a very prominent characteristic of any message of the Gospel; namely, the basic need of a Redeemer, One apart from the condemned human race, who would, and did, give himself a ransom for all. In due time this great fact of Jesus’ redeeming blood will be testified to all, even as this Psalm declares. “All the inhabitants of the world: both low and high, rich and poor,” will be enlightened concerning this precious truth.—I Tim. 2:4-6

It is our privilege even now to bear witness to this truth, and upon the basis of God’s provision of the ransom, to call upon “all men everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30) Repentance is the first step back to harmony with God, and every one who becomes a footstep follower of the Master must first of all repent; and then, upon the basis of his repentance and his faith in the blood of Christ, present himself in full consecration to do God’s will.

Not many in this age from among “all the inhabitants of the world” heed the call to repent, but this does not relieve us of the responsibility of proclaiming the message; for it is the only way whereby those who will eventually be of the true church are reached by the Gospel. And besides, it is the Lord’s will that his people, even in this time of darkness, should give a general witness for the truth, particularly the great truth of the ransom and the blessings of life which will eventually flow to the people as a result of the ransom.

Verses four and five of this Psalm seem clearly to apply to Jesus, and being in this setting they remind us that although no member of the dying race could give himself a ransom for his brother, all mankind, nevertheless, are redeemed by his precious blood. Jesus inclined his ear to parables in the sense that the first requisite of his divinely approved ministry was his attentiveness to the Heavenly Father’s instructions. “The words that I speak,” Jesus said, were not his words, but those which had been given to him by the Father.—John 6:63; 14:24

And to the multitude Jesus spoke in parables and dark sayings, which means that first of all he received these from his Father; that is, he inclined his ear toward them and sought to understand their meaning. (Matt. 13:34) And in this the Father blessed him, for upon the disciples’ request he explained the parables to them—he opened up the dark sayings upon the harp. The harp seems to be a symbol of the harmony of the divine plan, and Jesus’ understanding of it enabled him to reveal the meaning of his dark sayings for the blessing of his disciples, and to his own great joy.

“Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil?” It was because Jesus knew the meaning of the “dark sayings” which constituted such a large part of his ministry that he had no cause for fear, even in the “days of evil” which bore down so heavily upon him during the closing period of his ministry. When arrested in Gethsemane he said, “This is your hour, and the power of darkness.”—Luke 22:53

The reference in verse five to the iniquity of his “heels” might well be an allusion to the statement of Genesis 3:15 concerning the bruising of the heel of The Christ by the “serpent,” that is, the devil. The attack of Satan against Jesus, which by divine permission resulted in his arrest and crucifixion, was undoubtedly in part a fulfillment of this prophecy. Its fulfillment continues throughout the age as each one of his true followers, in filling up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, is also attacked by Satan and persecuted. But Jesus did not fear this “iniquity” of the serpent against him, because he understood its relationship to the plan of God, and to his part in that plan.

He did not fear Satan’s attacks, but he was solicitous with respect to his own faithfulness and consequent standing with his Heavenly Father. Along this line he offered up “strong crying and tears” but was “heard in that he feared” and was comforted. (Heb. 5:7) Because Jesus was faithful in giving his life for the sins of the world, the ransom was provided. Therefore, what fallen man could not do for himself, Jesus has done for him, thus making it possible for the Heavenly Father to be “just,” and at the same time “the justifier” of all who come to him through the merit of Jesus’ shed blood.—Rom. 3:26

PSALM 82—This Psalm, like the one just discussed, is cited as one that deals with the subject of justice, probably because of the references to judging, as found in the first and second verses—the latter of judging unjustly. The Psalm does, indeed, encourage the matter of dealing justly, and reminds us of the Lord’s position as Judge; but it is much more than a lesson on moral philosophy with respect to justice.

The sixth verse serves quite well as a key to the entire Psalm, for Jesus quotes a part of it and applies it to those “unto whom the Word of God came.” (John 10:35) While the Old Testament part of the Word of God was first given to Israel, it was not primarily for their benefit; for the apostle explains that whatsoever was written aforetime was for our benefit upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (Rom. 15:4; I Cor. 10:11, Diaglott) Jesus said to his Father concerning his disciples, “I have given them thy Word.”—John 17:14

It seems clear, then, that the statement of verse six, “Ye are gods; and all you are children of the most High,” refers to the church, the body members of The Christ. This is the house of God, the house of his sons, and the great judgment work of God which eventually will reach the whole world of mankind, began at the first advent with this “house of God.”—I Pet. 4:17

This could well be what is referred to in the first verse of this Psalm in the statement, “He judgeth among the gods.” Verses two to four seem to be an admonition of the Lord to the professed followers of Jesus to deal justly and to practice what James refers to as “pure religion and undefiled,” which is “to visit the fatherless and the widows,” and to keep one’s self “unspotted from the world.”—James 1:27

We are to do what we can to help the poor—that is, the “poor in spirit,” and the “needy”—those needing divine grace and who are in the proper attitude of heart to be reached by the truth. It is this class which, through the truth, are delivered out of the hand of the wicked. Satan is primarily the wicked one; and, together with his cohorts, he keeps the world enslaved by sin and by blinding superstitions of one kind and another. Through the power of the truth those whom the Lord is calling are delivered from this bondage.

As for the wicked themselves—all who are under the dominion of the prince of this world—“They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.” It is probably the wicked, particularly the ruling classes of this present evil world, that are referred to in the opening verse as the “congregation of the mighty.” God is judging among these as nations and groups; and, at the same time, he is judging his own people—the “gods,” or “children of the most High”—individually.

As the Psalm traces the work of judgment among both the Lord’s own people, and the world, it shows the failure of the world—the “congregation of the mighty”—in that they “walk on in darkness,” with the result that “all the foundations of the earth are out of course.” On the other hand, it shows the victory of the “gods” in that while they all “die like men”—that is, seemingly as all men die—yet actually they fall “like one of the princes.”

The reference here is to Prince Jesus, who fell in sacrificial death, giving his life for the sins of the world. It is the privilege of all the “children of the most High” during the Gospel age to be planted together in the likeness of Jesus’ death, to fall in death as he fell, that is, sacrificially; not like Prince Adam, who fell under condemnation because he violated the law of God.

In the last verse the Hebrew word translated “God” is the same as the one translated “gods” in verse six. This makes it possible to interpret this verse as applying to the “gods” among whom the Lord has been judging throughout the age—the ones who “die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” Having fallen in death sacrificially, and thus proved their worthiness to live and reign with Christ, this last verse may represent the divine summons for them to arise in the first resurrection, and, together with Jesus, inherit all nations.

Even if we conclude that the term “God” in this last verse applies only to Jesus, we can still rejoice in the prospect that if we are faithful in dying with him, we will be his joint-heirs in the kingdom—that kingdom which shall rule over and bless all nations. And together, Christ and his church will also judge the world in righteousness, and thus will justice be administered to all mankind.

QUESTIONS

Why can it be said that the penalty of death pronounced upon Adam was a manifestation of God’s justice?

What is one of the principal features of the Gospel which should always be emphasized in our ministry of the truth?

Who, in the divine plan, inclined his ears to parables, and opened up dark sayings upon the harp? Explain.

What are the “evil days” referred to in Psalm 49:5, and what is the “iniquity of my heels”?

In what sense is the Eighty-Second Psalm, a Psalm of justice?

Who are the “gods” referred to in verse six?

Who are probably referred to in verse one as the congregation of the mighty; and who are the gods?

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