Rev. Don Campbell
God, the Champion of the Poor
The writer of Psalm 140 did not preach the “social gospel” when he said, “I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.”
The Pulpit Commentary makes a critical point: “It is not to be supposed that ‘the right’ is always with ‘the poor,’ but, when it is, God will assuredly be their champion.” Some people are poor because of their laziness: “How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man” (Proverbs 6:9-11).
Some, like the prodigal son, squander their earnings. Be this as it may, the cards are often stacked against the poor by those who hold the power, and when they are, God is on the side of the poor and afflicted. God does not advocate for income leveling or redistribution of wealth, but He does demand fairness. “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” (James 5:4)
