Text: Psalm 7:11–17
God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day. If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready. He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts. Behold, the wicked travails with iniquity, Conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood. He made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made. His trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown. I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Devotion
Justice for all without regard for person is a judge’s highest virtue. But nowhere is justice as perfect as with God. No one repays as exactly as He, rewarding everyone according to his deeds. This truth is not contrary to what we learn everywhere, that God’s kingdom is a kingdom of grace, where forgiveness rules and saves sinners deserving of death. For all who acknowledge their sin come under Christ’s merit and are as righteous as Christ. It was the good and just counsel of God’s will that Christ should take the place of all, and that all who believe and are baptized should be one with Him, so that their sin is Christ’s sin, but Christ’s obedience is their obedience. Because God’s justice is so completely perfect, then too the Only-begotten had to suffer in full what the world deserved. Not the least thing was spared Him. Nor is the least debt waived, but everything is exactly required of all who are apart from Christ. All their sins will come back on them with righteous punishment. It often begins here, so that the sinner might thereby be wakened to repentance. But if he continues to sin, he receives a horrible sentence of wrath on himself there. God’s sword is sharpened, His bow is stretched, His arrows burning, and no one can escape. No matter how cunning the ungodly might be, God will find him and overtake him. Patience may spare him for a long time, but justice is close by and appears finally with its shining shield and sharp sword. Be assured, a day is coming when everything shall be revealed, and everyone without regard to person shall receive according to what he has done. God’s justice is as high and firm as His almighty power and His love, and just like them it sustains all His work from eternity.
Closing Prayer
You are the One who examines the heart, righteous God. My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness and praise the name of the Lord Most High. Amen.
Hymn
My heart, prepare to give account
Of all thy sore transgression;
To Him who is all mercies’ Fount
Make thou a full confession.
Recount what thou in all the years
Of sin and guilt hast hoarded,
And what in God’s own book appears,
With faithfulness recorded.
Soon will thy earthly course be run,
No single day returning;
But what thou good or ill hast done,
Thy God is now discerning,
When He to judgment calleth thee,
Thou shalt with fear and trembling
Thy sinful deeds in order see,
No longer then dissembling.
O bend thy knees, thy sins to take
Before God’s throne in heaven,
And pray that grace for Jesus’ sake
To thee be freely given.
Then by His power from above,
By His own Holy Spirit,
Thou shalt increase in faith and love,
Till heaven thou inherit.
Brorson: My heart, prepare to give account L 560:1.2.7 HCH 164:1.2.5 tr. P. C. Paulsen;
tune: Durch Adams Fall (ELH 430); alternate hymn: Day of wrath ELH 537