Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? (John 10:34).
When you read the first six verses of Psalm 82 from where the Lord Jesus quoted the verse above, you’d observe something remarkable. It says, “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty…. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High” (Psalm 82:1-6).
Notice that God calls His people, “the mighty”; and also He says, “Ye are gods.” But then the passage goes further to outline our responsibilities: we’re to “Defend the poor and fatherless…” (Psalm 82:3). We’re to “… do justice to the afflicted and needy.” Don’t turn away from the plight of the needy; you’re the one to deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. You can understand why He calls us saviours in Obadiah 1:21.
The fifth verse of that Psalm is painful; it says, “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness….” In other words, because these “mighty,”these “gods,” are ignorant of who they are, the earth is in a chaotic condition: “…all the foundations of the earth are out of course” (Psalm 82:5).
It reminds me of a certain young man I met who said He didn’t believe in God. When I asked him why, he said because there were too many poor and suffering people around us. “If there’s a God,” he asked, “why would He allow so many to be wallowing in poverty, pain and misery? It’s not right.”
Then I said to him, “You’re correct; it’s not right. But it’s not God’s fault. Those whom He has sent to save and help the needy aren’t doing it and that includes you.” Thereafter, I preached the Gospel to him, and he was gloriously saved.
You’re the one to rid the poor out of the hands of the wicked. You’re the saviour of the needy. Get to know who you are, and take your place as the helper and the deliverer, the one who’s been endued with power from on high to impact and change your world. Hallelujah!
Prayer / Confession
I’m empowered by the Holy Spirit to make a positive impact in the lives of others and make a difference in the world around me. I walk in the wisdom and courage to defend the poor and needy, to do justice to the afflicted, and to rid them out of the hand of the wicked, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further study
1 Peter 2:9; Matthew 5:14-16; Psalm 82:1-6 NKJV
1-year bible reading plan
Romans 12:1-16; Psalms 85-88
2-year bible reading plan
Philippians 1:15-22; Isaiah 61
