Psalm 72:1-7

Justice and righteousness are often cited together in the Old Testament. Here they are the desired character traits of the king and his son. Essentially, these two are the current and future rulers of Israel. When justice and righteousness are happening together, everyone gets treated by God's standards, especially the poor.

1. The Appropriate Relationship Between Government and the Poor

• The poor need to be treated fairly. They should receive the same benefits as the wealthy, and as much as possible be given the same opportunities as the wealthy. As is the case in many other passages, preferential treatment of the rich is antithetical to God's way.
• The poor need to be defended. History has taught us that usually power is held by the wealthy. Too often, that power has been used to oppress. The government must be watchful to ensure that those who cannot defend themselves are not being oppressed.
• The children of the poor need to be rescued. In dire situations, the government must take care of abandoned and abused children. This is NOT a mandate for the government to become a parenting substitute, but rather to step in when needed and take emergency action.
• The oppressors of the poor should be crushed. It is hard not to think of corporate America and some of the banks and lending institutions who have leveraged poverty to create wealth. The government should crush these people.

2. The Appropriate Perspective on Prosperity

• Agricultural prosperity is good for everyone. Nothing demonstrates the care of God for his creation like the annual harvest of crops. While farmers can work hard and plan ahead, only God can actually make the plants grow. When a region has a bountiful harvest, everyone benefits because there is more food and it is less expensive. When we ask God to bring a fruitful harvest we are remembering that true prosperity comes from Him, it is not something we can produce on our own.
• Prosperity is not a bad thing as long as it doesn't come at the expense of the poor. The psalmist asks for "abundant prosperity." Based on the rest of the psalm, we should conclude that he desires prosperity for all, not just for a few (or even many). Prosperity that is built on the backs of others is not true prosperity, it is a temporary distraction from God, and it is an idol to self-sustenance. Prosperity that is built with others because of dependence on God is a just and righteous prosperity.

Concluding Thoughts:

1. Treat all people as God would treat them
2. Rescue those who are being oppressed
   
3. Rely on God for your prosperity