The Loneliness of the King
“Give the king your justice, O God, May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor. May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.” – Psalm 72
As I write these words, it is high summer. My Facebook feed is filled nonstop with speculation, intrigue, lament and diatribe, as my friends implore each other to vote the right way in November.
By the time you will read these words, America will have a new king, but the “he” of the psalm may in fact be a “she.” You may be disappointed in the choice. You may be fearful of the future. Whoever is king, may they remember the highest calling of their office: to protect and defend the “lowest” people in their care, championing the cause of the broke and vulnerable. In case we’d forgotten that care for them is God’s highest earthly priority, we await in Advent a God who came naked, poor and powerless into the world to remind us of the core values of kingship.
Whoever is president, one thing is for certain: they need your prayer. Not once, but continually. As Obama’s weeks wane, as they ready themselves for perhaps the loneliest job on the planet, as they move into a position without human peers, they need to know Who they can trust. And they need to be able to hear God’s voice speaking directly to their heart.
Prayer
God, You can change any heart. Even our new president’s. Give our new ruler Your justice, O Lord, that all your people might live and thrive.
About the AuthorMolly Baskette is Senior Minister of the First Church of Berkeley, California, and the author of the best-selling Real Good Church and Standing Naked Before God.