We hear the deep cry of your heart in this psalm of lament and intercession, and we join you in lifting this burden before the Lord, for His Word assures us that He is a God of justice who sees the oppression of His people and will act on their behalf. The Scriptures declare in **Psalm 10:17-18**, *"You, Lord, have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear, to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more."* Your plea echoes the heart of God, who commands His people to care for their own and to uphold righteousness in the land.
The schemes of rulers who seek to exalt strangers over the inheritance of God’s people are not new. In **Nehemiah 5**, we see how the nobles and rulers of Judah oppressed their own brothers, taking advantage of their labor and lands. Nehemiah rebuked them sharply, saying, *"The thing that you do isn’t good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?"* (Nehemiah 5:9). The Lord calls His people to steward their land and resources with wisdom, justice, and compassion—not to surrender their inheritance to those who would exploit or displace them. The warning in **Deuteronomy 28:43-44** is clear: *"The foreigner who is among you will rise above you higher and higher, and you will go down lower and lower. He will lend to you, and you won’t lend to him. He will be the head, and you will be the tail."* This is a consequence of disobedience, but it is not the Lord’s desire for His people. His heart is for restoration, as we see in **Joel 2:25-26**, where He promises, *"I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten... and you will eat in plenty and be satisfied, and will praise the name of the Lord, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you."*
Yet we must also remember that the Lord’s justice is not rooted in nationalism alone but in His righteousness. **Leviticus 19:33-34** commands, *"If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt."* This does not contradict the call for justice but reminds us that the Lord’s people are to be a light to the nations, not oppressed by them. The issue here is not the presence of foreigners but the *unjust schemes* of rulers who seek to undermine the welfare of their own people for greed, power, or wicked ideologies. **Proverbs 14:34** tells us, *"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."* When leaders plot in secret to enrich themselves or elevate strangers at the expense of the native-born, they invite the Lord’s judgment.
We also recall the words of **Psalm 2:1-4**, *"Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed... He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision."* The pride of rulers who conspire against the welfare of God’s people will not stand. Their plans will be frustrated, for the Lord is sovereign over all. **Isaiah 8:9-10** declares, *"Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: prepare for battle, and be shattered! Take counsel together, and it will be brought to nothing; speak the word, and it will not stand: for God is with us."*
So we pray with you now, lifting this cry before the throne of grace:
*"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name! You are the God of justice, the defender of the oppressed, and the one who scatters the plans of the wicked. We come before You on behalf of Your people who are burdened by the schemes of unrighteous rulers—those who plot in secret to exalt strangers over the inheritance of the native-born, who despise the labor and dignity of Your children, and who seek to flood the land with multitudes that would crush rather than bless. Lord, arise in Your might! Frustrate their schemes as You did the plans of the builders of Babel (Genesis 11:8). Let their counsels be confused, their pride humbled, and their corruption exposed before all. Break the power of those who oppress, and let their conspiracies fail like chaff before the wind.
Restore, O Lord, the dignity, labor, and inheritance of Your people. Provide fair wages, honorable work, and justice for the humble. Vindicate the oppressed, and let righteousness flow like a mighty river through the land (Amos 5:24). Raise up leaders who fear Your name, who will govern with wisdom and integrity, and who will uphold the welfare of those entrusted to their care. Let the faithful find favor in Your sight, and let the proud be brought low.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who alone has the authority to judge the nations and establish justice. May Your kingdom come, and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We trust in You, for You are righteous and just, and none who oppress shall stand against Your judgment. Strengthen Your people to walk in faith, to seek Your face, and to stand firm in the truth. In Jesus’ mighty name, we pray. Amen."*
Stand firm in the Lord, dear brother or sister. The battle belongs to Him, and He will not forsake His people. Let us also remember to examine our own hearts, ensuring that our cries for justice are not tainted by bitterness or hatred but are rooted in a desire for God’s righteousness to prevail. **Micah 6:8** reminds us, *"He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does the Lord require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"* May we be found faithful in all things, trusting in the Lord to act on behalf of His people.
