God Is... Just

God is the ultimate standard for what is right. All he does is right.

Psalms: 1, 9, 11, 89

PSALM 9

Read through the entire Psalm.
Now, read through it again and do the following:

Circle words or phrases that highlight God’s justice.
Underline how we are instructed to respond to God’s justice.
If there are any words you don’t know or understand, write them to the side and take a moment to define.

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune “Death of the Son.”

1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.

2 I will be filled with joy because of you.

I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.

3 My enemies retreated;

they staggered and died when you appeared.

4 For you have judged in my favor;

from your throne you have judged with fairness.

5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;

you have erased their names forever.

6 The enemy is finished, in endless ruins;

the cities you uprooted are now forgotten.

7 But the Lord reigns forever,

executing judgment from his throne.

8 He will judge the world with justice

and rule the nations with fairness.

9 The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,

a refuge in times of trouble.

10 Those who know your name trust in you,

for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

11 Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem.

Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.

12 For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless.

He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.

13 Lord, have mercy on me.

See how my enemies torment me.

Snatch me back from the jaws of death.

14 Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem’s gates,

so I can rejoice that you have rescued me.

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others.

Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.

16 The Lord is known for his justice.

The wicked are trapped by their own deeds. Quiet Interlude

17 The wicked will go down to the grave.

This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.

18 But the needy will not be ignored forever;

the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed.

19 Arise, O Lord!

Do not let mere mortals defy you!

Judge the nations!

20 Make them tremble in fear, O Lord.

Let the nations know they are merely human. Interlude

PSALM 1

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not

follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand around with sinners,

or join in with mockers.

2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,

meditating on it day and night.

3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither,

and they prosper in all they do.

4 But not the wicked!

They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.

Sinners will have no place among the godly.

6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,

but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Questions

Rewrite Psalm 1 in your own words. What is the author saying?
What is this passage telling us to turn away from?
According to this passage, how does the Lord protect the godly?

PSALM 11

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 I trust in the Lord for protection.

So why do you say to me,

“Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!

2 The wicked are stringing their bows

and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.

They shoot from the shadows

at those whose hearts are right.

3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed.

What can the righteous do?”

4 But the Lord is in his holy Temple;

the Lord still rules from heaven.

He watches everyone closely,

examining every person on earth.

5 The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked.

He hates those who love violence.

6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,

punishing them with scorching winds.

7 For the righteous Lord loves justice.

The virtuous will see his face.

GUIDED PRAYER

Response to Psalm 11

Dear God,

I trust in you for all things and like this passage says, I trust in you for _________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________(vs 1).

Somewhere in my life I need protection today is _________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________.

You are a Holy God who is reigning over all things in heaven and earth. You see all things, you know all things, and you over ruling over all things. You are closely __________________ every person on earth (vs 4), so God, I ask now that you would examine me. Reveal sin in my life, reveal areas of my life that I am not trusting you, reveal to me ways that I am creating idols instead of focusing my gaze on you.

You are a __________ God (vs 7). I know that at the end of time, you will examine both the _____________ and the ____________ (vs 5). God I ask that you would show me my sin and help me to turn from that and to pursue righteousness—a life that honors you (vs 5) .

Amen

PSALM 89

1 I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever!

Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.

2 Your unfailing love will last forever.

Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.

3 The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant.

I have sworn this oath to him:

4 ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever;

they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’” Interlude

5 All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord;

myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.

6 For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord?

What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord?

7 The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.

He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.

8 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies!

Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord?

You are entirely faithful.

9 You rule the oceans.

You subdue their storm-tossed waves.

10 You crushed the great sea monster.

You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;

everything in the world is yours—you created it all.

12 You created north and south.

Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.

13 Powerful is your arm!

Strong is your hand!

Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.

Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.

15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,

for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

16 They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.

They exult in your righteousness.

17 You are their glorious strength.

It pleases you to make us strong.

18 Yes, our protection comes from the Lord,

and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.

19 Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people.

You said, “I have raised up a warrior.

I have selected him from the common people to be king.

20 I have found my servant David.

I have anointed him with my holy oil.

21 I will steady him with my hand;

with my powerful arm I will make him strong.

22 His enemies will not defeat him,

nor will the wicked overpower him.

23 I will beat down his adversaries before him

and destroy those who hate him.

24 My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him,

and by my authority he will grow in power.

25 I will extend his rule over the sea,

his dominion over the rivers.

26 And he will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,

my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’

27 I will make him my firstborn son,

the mightiest king on earth.

28 I will love him and be kind to him forever;

my covenant with him will never end.

29 I will preserve an heir for him;

his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven.

30 But if his descendants forsake my instructions

and fail to obey my regulations,

31 if they do not obey my decrees

and fail to keep my commands,

32 then I will punish their sin with the rod,

and their disobedience with beating.

33 But I will never stop loving him

nor fail to keep my promise to him.

34 No, I will not break my covenant;

I will not take back a single word I said.

35 I have sworn an oath to David,

and in my holiness I cannot lie:

36 His dynasty will go on forever;

his kingdom will endure as the sun.

37 It will be as eternal as the moon,

my faithful witness in the sky!” Interlude

38 But now you have rejected him and cast him off.

You are angry with your anointed king.

39 You have renounced your covenant with him;

you have thrown his crown in the dust.

40 You have broken down the walls protecting him

and ruined every fort defending him.

41 Everyone who comes along has robbed him,

and he has become a joke to his neighbors.

42 You have strengthened his enemies

and made them all rejoice.

43 You have made his sword useless

and refused to help him in battle.

44 You have ended his splendor

and overturned his throne.

45 You have made him old before his time

and publicly disgraced him. Interlude

46 O Lord, how long will this go on?

Will you hide yourself forever?

How long will your anger burn like fire?

47 Remember how short my life is,

how empty and futile this human existence!

48 No one can live forever; all will die.

No one can escape the power of the grave. Interlude

49 Lord, where is your unfailing love?

You promised it to David with a faithful pledge.

50 Consider, Lord, how your servants are disgraced!

I carry in my heart the insults of so many people.

51 Your enemies have mocked me, O Lord;

they mock your anointed king wherever he goes.

52 Praise the Lord forever!

Amen and amen!

Reflect

What does this passage say about God’s justice?
Why is God’s justice a good thing for us?
Write in your own words what it means that God is just.

For Further Study

Romans 6:20-23
Psalm 33:4–5
Psalm 72
Isaiah 53
Romans 2: 1-11

Songs

This is Kingdom
Act Justly, Love Mercy,
Walk Humbly
But God
Lion and the Lamb