Psalm 82: The Judge’s Judgment


“All rise for her Honour the Judge!”
She’s here! She takes her seat. All eyes are on her.
The crowded courtroom is hushed, waiting for her verdict.
But who stands in the dock? Who is Accused?
Is it me? you? the Government? the Church? all the human race?
 
The hammer bangs. “Silence for the Judge!”
Her words ring out, quiet but piercing.
“On the charge of corruption I find the Accused … guilty.
You were entrusted with caring for the poor and the young,
the least, the last and the lost, the week and the needy,
but you have listened instead to the voices of power
and you have pocketed the wealth of the well-off.”
 
The Judge quietly begins to weep,
and as each tear falls the room shakes and the lights flicker.
“My children, my children,” she sobs,
“How could you not care for these little ones as I do?
You were made for my love for eternity, all of you!
How could you choose death and fall towards destruction?”
 
“All rise for her Honour the Judge!”
As she walks out we stand, shocked into silence.
Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you.

Psalm 82: The Nobodies’ Psalm
 

Everyone who is given a job
to lead or be boss or even be President
will one day stand before the Lord
and answer the question when he asks:
“When you were in charge,
did you care for the poor?
Did you lead with fairness?
I don’t care how important you were
how much everyone loved you
or how much money you made.
What matters to me are the people
that no one cares much about
who can’t pay you back
or make you more popular.
What did you do to look after them?”
 
And the leaders will say,
“but who cares about the nobodies?”
And Jesus will answer:
“When you cared for the least of these, you cared for me.”
(Matthew 25:40)