Gospel Reflections #1121: The Imperfect Human Judgments

Psalm 58:11 ‘And people will say, “There is indeed a reward for the righteous; there is indeed a God who judges the earth.”’

These words declare our absolute trust and conviction in God, who will not remain silent in the face of the ‘injustice and evil’ of this world, but will surely pass righteous judgement.

The entire 58th Psalm is a poem that contrasts ‘the judgement of hypocritical men’ with ‘the perfectly righteous judgement of God’.

David feels intense indignation at the reality that those in power remain silent even when they witness injustice, and indeed use their position to oppress the weak.

They are like ‘deaf vipers’, refusing to listen to the cries of the suffering.

The stark description that ‘the righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance, and will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked’ does not endorse a human ‘desire for vengeance’.

This is a literary metaphor intended to emphasise ‘God’s absolute power to thoroughly wipe away all evil and restore justice’, rather than vengeance taken into one’s own hands.

In a world where the wicked run rampant, one might be tempted to despair and ask, ‘Is there any meaning to living a righteous life?’,

but this passage concludes that ‘the truly righteous will be rewarded, and the God who judges the earth truly exists’.

No matter how powerful evil may seem, the final victory is granted to those who trust in God.

In the New Testament, for example in the Book of Revelation, this leads to the promise that God’s ultimate judgement and salvation—‘crushing evil and wiping away every tear’—will be fulfilled through Jesus Christ.

We must not fix our eyes on imperfect human judgements, but rather turn our gaze to God’s promise, which leads us to ultimate victory, and walk with patience.

Whilst we may view those who do not obey God as adversaries or treat them differently, God is at work to save all people.

As those who have received God’s mercy, forgiveness, comfort, and encouragement, let us earnestly ask God to make us vessels capable of reflecting these qualities, and let us continue to take steps forward, trusting in the promises He has given us.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.