It’s Election Day, and the leaves have mostly fallen. My church has opened up a small chapel today for prayer, but I decided to go with writing a psalm about what’s on my heart and posting that prayer online.
My heart is full. A Methodist pastor whose books I’ve already read and reviewed is running for U.S. Senate in Kansas. A Senate candidate in Texas is openly talking about the idea that we are all God’s children. And a college friend, Sam Powell, is running for state senate in Minnesota. He’s a former pastor who was removed from his church for speaking up for women and other vulnerable people. I completely love his slogan: “Courage, Compassion, Community.” Yes! May we grow that in the whole country.
But my friends and I are feeling a lot of fear. Fear that there will be cheating, whether invisibly by computer or visibly by suppressing votes. And lots of fear that results will be disputed if the outcome isn’t what crooked people want.
In praying for the election, I am going to turn to Messianic Psalms, because they are Psalms for seeking justice. They are Psalms that remind us that, one day, God is going to bring justice.
Now, Messianic Psalms don’t have a clear form, and contain a wide variety of approaches. I’m thinking today, lest I appear to be too political, I’m going to mostly quote Scripture in my prayer. As for whom I’m talking about? If the shoe fits….
A Prayer for our Elections
Father and Creator, we come before you at a turning point in our nation.
We ask you to intervene and to guide for the cause of justice.
As things are going now:
“The wicked accept bribes in secret
to pervert the course of justice.” (Proverbs 17:23)
“[Our] rulers are rebels,
partners with thieves;
they all love bribes
and chase after gifts.” (Isaiah 1:23)
People from ICE “lie in wait near the villages;
from ambush they murder the innocent.
Their eyes watch in secret for their victims;
like a lion in cover they lie in wait.
They lie in wait to catch the helpless;
they catch the helpless and drag them off in their net.
Their victims are crushed, they collapse;
they fall under their strength.
They say to themselves ‘God will never notice;
he covers his face and never sees.'” (Psalm 10:8-11)
“They slay the widow and the foreigner;
they murder the fatherless.
They say, ‘The Lord does not see;
the God of Jacob takes no notice.” (Psalm 94:6-7)
“Can a corrupt throne [government] be allied with you –
a throne [government] that brings on misery by its decrees?
The wicked band together against the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.” (Psalm 94:20-21)
And so we pray with your people through the ages:
“But the Lord has become my fortress,
and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.
He will repay them for their sins
and destroy them for their wickedness;
the Lord our God will destroy them.” (Psalm 94:22-23)
Creator, I’m praying that their power to harm
will be utterly destroyed,
and that their evil deeds
will be called to account.
“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, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked man;
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not be found out.”
For the rich who are using our government to get richer, may this come to pass:
“Now listen, you rich people,
weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.
Your wealth has rotted,
and moths have eaten your clothes.
Your gold and silver are corroded.
Their corrosion will testify against you
and eat your flesh like fire.
You have hoarded wealth in the last days.
Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields
are crying out against you.
The cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence.
You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.
You have condemned and murdered the innocent one,
who was not opposing you.” (James 5:1-6)
May we see with our own eyes that this is true:
“[The Lord] is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them –
he remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.” (Psalm 146:6-9)
May rulers rise to power who will uphold these words from your law:
“Do not pervert justice;
do not show partiality to the poor
or favoritism to the great,
but judge your neighbor fairly.” (Leviticus 19:15)
“Do not pervert justice or show partiality.
Do not accept a bribe,
for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise
and twists the words of the innocent.
Follow justice and justice alone,
so that you may live
and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Deuteronomy 16:19-20)
Lord, we pray against rulers like these ones from Proverbs:
“A ruler who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.” (Proverbs 28:3)
“Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.” (Proverbs 28:15)
“A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.” (Proverbs 28:16)
“If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.” (Proverbs 29:12)
We ask you, Lord, instead to raise up wise and just leaders.
“May they judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.
May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
May they defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may they crush the oppressor….
For they will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
They will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.” (Psalm 72:2-4,12-13)
And Mother of all, may we, your people, follow the kind of fasting you have chosen:
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter –
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” (Isaiah 58:6-7)
We know that these human leaders are not your Anointed One,
that true justice awaits your coming in glory.
But as we wait, frustrate the plans of those
who want to seize power for selfish gain,
who care nothing for the struggling,
who exploit our land out of greed,
who stir up wars for their own ego.
Let their power at last crumble!
May this be the day when you say:
“‘Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,’
I will now arise,’ says the Lord.
‘I will protect them from those who malign them.’…
You, Lord, will keep the needy safe
and will protect us forever from the wicked,
who freely strut about
when what is vile is honored by the human race.” (Psalm 12:5,7-8)
Stop their strutting, O God!
“But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24)
Amen.
May it be so.
Thanks be to God.
This is really creative and I agree with all the sentiments!