He Presides, But Will He Rise?
When justice waits and injustice reigns: A cry from Psalm 82
Are you going through injustice?
Are you waiting for God to act while the wicked seem to win?
They beat him until he bled. Then they did it again.
Louis Zamperini was an Olympian turned soldier who survived a plane crash, floated for 47 days at sea, and then endured unimaginable torture in a Japanese prison camp during World War II. One of his captors—known as “The Bird”—took special pleasure in breaking him. Day after day, Louis was humiliated, starved, and abused.
After the war, The Bird evaded justice. He disappeared, never stood trial, and lived free.
Louis, however, was haunted—crippled by nightmares and rage.
Until he met Jesus.
Then something unthinkable happened.
Years later, Louis returned to Japan, walked into a prison filled with former guards, and offered them forgiveness.
“Forgiveness is the complete healing of the heart,” he later said.
“I left justice in God’s hands.”
The Courtroom of Heaven
Psalm 82 opens with a surprising image:
“God has taken His place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods He holds judgment.” (v.1)
It’s almost as if God is seated in a courtroom—gavel in hand, surrounded by other “gods.” But this isn’t polytheism. It’s poetry. It’s a symbolic picture of a trial, not of God needing counsel, but of Him putting corrupt earthly rulers on trial.
The Hebrew word for “gods” here is elohim—often interpreted as human judges or rulers. These are the ones God entrusted with power and responsibility, yet instead of defending the weak, they protected the wicked.
“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?” (v.2)
They Knew This Wasn’t Just Imagery. It Was Reality.
The original audience didn’t just understand this psalm. They lived it. They had seen:
Widows starving while rulers grew fat
Orphans abandoned while leaders chased bribes
Justice perverted while the cries of the poor were ignored
This psalm pierced their hearts. It wasn’t poetic metaphor—it was personal. Tangible. Real.
And yet the psalm doesn’t call for personal revenge. It doesn't shout like Braveheart or scream for rebellion.
It ends with a prayer.
“Arise, O God, judge the earth! For You shall inherit all the nations.” (v.8)
The psalmist knows exactly where judgment belongs: in the hands of God.
He Presides… But Will He Rise?
That’s the question.
God isn’t passive. He reigns. He sees. He knows.
But what about now?
What about this injustice?
The trafficked child?
The Holocaust survivor?
The abandoned single mother?
The wounded soldier left behind?
“How long, Lord?”
Psalm 82 invites us to bring that cry to God without shame.
It gives language to the ache.
It reminds us that justice delayed is not justice denied.
Judgment Delayed Is Not Judgment Denied
God isn’t slow. He’s patient.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
— 2 Peter 3:9
God withholds judgment not out of indifference—but out of mercy.
But make no mistake—He will not withhold it forever.
In the end, every injustice will be answered.
Either:
At the cross, where Jesus bore the full weight of judgment for those who repent
Or at the throne, where justice will fall with holy fire
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ…”
— 2 Corinthians 5:10
“…He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
— Acts 17:31
Not one betrayal, lie, abuse, or murder will go unnoticed.
Nothing gets past the God who presides.
The Final Courtroom
The psalm ends with a cry:
“Arise, O God, judge the earth!”
And for us, the good news is this:
He already has.
He rose once—from the grave.
He will rise again—from the throne.
Jesus is the fulfillment of this psalm.
He is the Judge who became the accused,
The Righteous One treated as wicked,
The King who stepped into the courtroom and bore our guilt.
And He’s coming back.
Never Finished Challenge
1. Cry Out
Bring it all to God. Name the injustice. Don’t numb the pain. It is in your heart. He sees it. And it is beyond safe to express it to Him—it is transformational.
“How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?”
— Psalm 82:2
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.”
— Psalm 34:17
Even Jesus cried out on the cross. If you're groaning, you're not weak—you’re aligned with the saints and the Savior.
2. Live Justly
We don’t wait for justice—we reflect it. Be a signpost pointing to the coming King.
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.”
— Psalm 82:3
“He has shown you, O man, what is good... to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
— Micah 6:8
“Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
— Amos 5:24
Don’t just talk about justice. Live it. Both in making peace, as long as you can help it (Rom. 12:18), and defending yourself and others like Jesus—stand for truth with courage, protect the vulnerable with compassion, and fight injustice with Spirit-led strength—never from pride, always from love.
3. Trust the Judge
You don’t have to play God. The Judge sees all. And justice will be done—either at the cross or at the throne.
“Arise, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are Your inheritance.”
— Psalm 82:8
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends… ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
— Romans 12:19
“He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice…”
— Acts 17:31
You are not forgotten. The Judge is not silent. The gavel is coming.
What Does Today Say About God?
Just.
He is just.
He is good.
And He is coming.
I’ve seen His justice firsthand—miraculous answers, divine protection, exposed evil.
But I’ve also been on the other side: the one needing mercy, forgiveness, and grace.
And in both places, I’ve found this unshakable truth:
He is faithful.
He is near.
And His courtroom never closes.
What a Father.
What a King.
What a Friend.
What a Judge.
Thank You, Jesus.
Had a chance to meet him. Wow.