Text: Psalm 10:12-18
Focus Verses: “O God, life your hand; forget not the afflicted…to you the helpless commits himself” (v. 12, 14).
All of us can identify a time when we have felt helpless and alone—powerless to act and at the mercy of someone who has the capacity to decide our fate, whether it has been in a work setting, a situation with a friend, or circumstances in school. What a pitiful feeling to recognize that no matter what we do, someone else controls how things will turn out for us. The results can be anything from a feeling of discomfort to a life-changing action affecting our future for a very long time.
Consider being truly helpless and alone and unable to even vocalize opposition to someone who would exercise control over your very existence. This is indeed the case of the unborn. Yet the Psalmist recognizes that these humble little ones who have no voice cry out within the confines of God’s Word and He does hear them. Moreover, He not only hears them but also promises to give them justice and to remove oppression from them.
As those who have been given voice, we join the hue and cry to Him from whom this justice comes, that He may come swiftly and soon so that our unborn brothers and sisters who lay in bondage to this dark oppression may be soon released from its dark bands.
Let us pray: Gracious and loving Lord, we pray daily for Your protective hand to fall swiftly to preserve those who look to You for life. Though we may not be able physically to hear their voices, make our ears ache with their cries for aid which resound in Your Word. Be quick to answer their prayers and ours so that Your power and glory may be made apparent to all. In the name of Your Son, who died and rose again that all who believe in Him may live. Amen.
(Richard “Neely” Owen, Sem II)
Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne
κήρυξον τὸν λόγον. Preach the Word.