Praise for God's Ultimate Justice

October 10, 2021 Background Scripture: Psalm 9; Ecclesiastes 3:16 – 22 Lesson Passage: Psalm 9:1 – 12 I rarely use a sports analogy while discussing an exposition of the Holy scriptures. But that is what came to mind while meditating on Psalm 9. Psalm 9 is a celebration of the ultimate outcome. In Psalm 9, David wrote of praising God and encouraging others to praise God as well. This he did while also writing about his enemies, the wicked, and traps being set for him. How can you praise God in such an environment of turmoil? The answer is based on the ultimate outcome. That brings me back to the sports analogy. Decades ago, there were a handful of dominant teams and everybody else—few games were truly competitive. Most team sports today are very competitive compared to decades ago. That means that during the regular season, and oftentimes throughout the playoffs, all teams lose some games. At the end of the season, one team has outlasted the rest and is declared the champion. That’s the ultimate outcome. At that point, it doesn’t matter how many regular season games or playoff games were lost. The only thing that matters is the ultimate outcome. In fact, throughout the next season, they will be referred to as champions whether they win or lose. When we are the champions, we wear our scars and bruises like medallions. We celebrate despite the disappointments we encountered along the way. I don’t know anyone who likes to lose. I don’t want to know anyone who likes to lose. Losing is tolerable when you are a champion in the end. I believe it was Isaiah Thomas who said, “The only good loser is the person who is used to losing.” I think there is someone else who fits that description. When you know the outcome is fixed and you will be the champion, I believe losing is much more tolerable. That brings me back to David. David knew that the outcome, or ultimate justice, was already fixed. David knew that God always prevails in the end. David knew that the people of God always prevail in the end. Christians forget this sometimes, and we find ourselves acting like sore losers in life. Without spiritual foresight, it can be difficult to praise God when you believe you’re in a losing season. Psalm 9 reminds us of God’s ultimate justice. The people of God comprise a winning team. Children of God will always win in the end. Do Christians lose some personal battles in life? Yes, we do. But we are always winners. Winners sometimes lose, but we always win in the end. Losers may sometimes win, but in the end, losers will always lose. That is the message that reverberates throughout Psalm 9. When Christians know and are reminded about God’s ultimate justice, then we can praise God through whatever may come. God admonishes people everywhere to seek His face. God does not forsake those who seek Him. He is a refuge for the oppressed and the troubled. We don’t need to stay awake at night wondering about traps the enemy is setting for us. In the end, our enemies will be defeated and caught in their own traps. Men may devise plans, but God is the One who determines the outcome. How do people get to know God? One way is for Christians to declare God’s works, or deeds, among people who don’t know Him. We should boldly declare that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. And every tongue that rises against us in judgment shall be condemned by God. This is our heritage, or inheritance as children of God. God establishes our righteousness, and it is therefore eternal. Put another way, in the end we always win, and that is God’s ultimate justice for us. Robert C. Hudson September 17, 2021