When justice seems denied

“The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.” Psalm 103:6 NKJV

When O.J. Simpson was tried for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown, the jury ruled “Not guilty.” In court, Nicole’s mother wept and said, “God, where are You?” It’s a question we ask when life seems unfair. The Bible answers, “For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14 NKJV). But we want the score settled now. So we struggle, we question, and we doubt. The psalmist did too: “How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?…Deliver the poor and needy” (Psalm 82:2-4 NKJV). We wrestle with such questions because they have no easy answers. Then twenty-one psalms later, David, who’d been forgiven and restored after committing adultery and murder, wrote, “The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly…The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are” (Psalm 103:6-14 NLT). Bottom line: the same grace and mercy that God extends toward you, He offers to the one who hurt you.

Bible in a year: Jeremiah 9-11 and 2 Thessalonians 2