[On Tuesdays I plan to focus the prayer on praying for our nation and world.]
God of Justice,
Thank you for your goodness and mercy to those who seek you and whose hearts are pure before you. Thank you that when we see the wickedness in this world, we can be reminded that you are God. You do not sleep or grow tired or weary; you do not leave or forsake those you have called as children. Lord God Almighty, sometimes it seems that the arrogant, wicked, prideful, and malicious of this world have no problems. Their evil imaginations have no limits and they seem free from common human burdens. Yet, surely, you place them on slippery ground where they can easily be swept away and destroyed by terrors of your true justice. Sometimes in this world we become grieved or embittered as we watch the apparent success of the ungodly. Yet, your word says that those who are far from you – who are unfaithful to you – will perish. You promise that the power of the wicked will be broken, but you uphold the righteous. You, God of Truth, guide us with your counsel. You, God of Justice, encourage us with your Justice. We have nothing in heaven or on earth that is as valuable as you are, Lord. Our flesh and heart may fail, but you are our strength and our portion forever. It is good to be near you, our Sovereign Lord and Refuge. Guard us and guide us, we pray in Jesus’s name. Amen.
“Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:4 NIV)
“Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.” (Isaiah 40:28 NIV)
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV)
“When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.” (Proverbs 21:15 NIV)
“The power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.” (Psalm 37:17 NIV)
1“Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”
12 This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.
15 If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes;
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.” (Psalm 73 NIV)
(adapted from post published March 11, 2021)