A Cry for Justice

Did the Christians of Rome sing the songs of Zion, praising the Lord in psalms? As a persecuted minority in the capital of a proud, pagan, conquering empire, Psalm 58 must have struck deep chords. Maybe they enjoyed the colorful picture language of the psalm—deaf cobras who can’t hear the piper’s tune, archers whose arrows always fall short, slugs melted into pools of water.

Above all, this psalm encouraged them to pray that God’s name would be honored, that all people would see that he is just and powerful, that the wicked would be judged and the righteous vindicated. Whether sung by David himself surrounded by enemies, or by the people of Israel with the Assyrians at the city gates, or by the exiles in Babylon, the psalm expresses the longing that God will act and show his hand in power.

We should, indeed, love our enemies and care for those we dislike, as Jesus taught his disciples. But this is no call to tolerate injustice and accept deliberate wickedness. The Christian slaves of Rome could not change their situation, and both Paul and Peter encouraged them to serve their masters well and endure sufferings, remembering what their Lord and Savior had endured for them. But slavery is unjust and against God’s laws and—wherever possible—Christians should be at the forefront of the fight to end all injustice and cruelty. One day all will be made new, all sin and evil destroyed, as v. 9 reminds us. There will be vindication, and justice will be seen to be done. Of course, God does show his hand, stops wicked rulers in their tracks, rescues his people from danger, and thwarts evil purposes, but not always and not necessarily right away. We are called to trust him and pray.

Pray for Christians who feel beleaguered and threatened by forces hostile to the Gospel. Sing this psalm for them!