On Saturdays we'll worship God through a selection from the Psalms.

Read Psalm 10:12-18

Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.

Do not forget the helpless.

Why does the wicked man revile God?

Why does he say to himself,

"He won't call me to account"?

But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;

you consider it to take it in hand.

The victim commits himself to you;

you are the helper of the fatherless.

Break the arm of the wicked and evil man;

call him to account for his wickedness

that would not be found out.

The Lord is King for ever and ever;

the nations will perish from his land.

You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted;

you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,

defending the fatherless and the oppressed,

in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

Reflect

The psalmist here cries out to God, both to rescue the oppressed and to oppose the oppressors. Is this kind of prayer common in our culture, or in your life?

Respond

Think of a situation you know about where people are being oppressed by others. Ask God to help those who are afflicted and to call to account those who are being wicked. Then ask him how you yourself might be part of the resolution.