Justice And Righteousness

Do you pray for our leaders?

Not just the leaders of our country, but state, county, and city. What about the leaders of our church? We’re looking at Psalm 72 today and in it, a king, whom most scholars believe to be David, prays for God to help his son rule the nation justly and wisely. It is known as a messianic Psalm, which means the psalmist anticipates the reign of Jesus. Only He can rule with perfect justice and peace for His followers. It begins:

Endow the king with your justice O God, the royal son with your righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.

- Psalm 72:

A king that rules with justice and righteousness! What does it mean to be just? What does it mean to be righteous? The Psalmist is praying that the King will have the love of justice for his people and live morally pure so that his reign reflects that of the kingdom of God.

Soon after Solomon was made king, God told him to ask for anything he wanted, and we read his reply in I Kings 3:6-7:

Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.  Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

- 1 Kings 3:6-7

A discerning heart is knowing the difference between right and wrong. Solomon didn’t ask for wealth or long life or defeat of his enemies but to rule justly and live a righteous life!  Because of his humility, God granted his request!

Beginning in verse 8 through 14 of Psalm 72, we see the prayer for Solomon that He was to fulfill.

May he rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. May the desert tribes bow before him and his enemies lick the dust. May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him. For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.

- Psalm 72:8-14

Unfortunately, Solomon lost his way, succumbed to worldly temptations, and never fulfilled what was asked of him. Before the end of his reign, there was trouble and unrighteousness. However, this prayer was ultimately answered in Christ and will be fully realized when He returns. In the meantime, we’re all leaders in some way. Some in the marketplace, others in our homes.

The question we have to ask ourselves is, “How do I lead?” Am I the person that represents Christ and teaches my family to know and love Him?

Ken and I recently had lunch with one of our table group leader couples. They lead by challenging their group to stay in the Word and have even started two summer studies, one for the men and the other for the women. They are leading their group into a deeper understanding of who God is and how we apply His word to our lives.

So back to my original question: Do you pray for your leaders? And as you lead, do you look to Jesus for guidance? Here are a few examples for you to think about:

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

- 1 Timothy 2:1-2 NLT

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

- Romans 13:1 ESV

He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

- Micah 6:8 NIV

Let’s begin a habit of praying for those who lead us and for God’s guidance as we lead in our home, workplace and community!

Pastor Pam

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