Rhetoric Race and Religion
This morning as I was doing my devotion I ran across Psalm 10. As I read the Psalm, it began to speak to me in a powerful way as a prayer for how I am feeling as yet another Grand Jury decided not to indict police officers for killing yet another black child. As I mediate on this Psalm, I also pray for those working in police departments and District Attorney offices across the nation. Oh Lord hear my prayer…….Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance the DA’s and police persecute and kill 12 year old black boys— let them be caught in the schemes they have devised. For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart, those greedy for gain curse and renounce the Lord. In the pride of their countenance they say, “God will not seek it out”; all their thoughts are, “There is no God.” Their ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of their sight; as for their foes, they laugh at them. They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved; throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.” Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.
Many sit in ambush; in hiding places they murder the innocent. Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; they lurk in secret like a lioness; they lurk that they may seize the innocent; they seize the unarmed and drag them off in their net. They stoop, they crouch, and the helpless fall by their might. They think in their heart, “God has forgotten, she has hidden her face, she will never see it.” Rise up, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; do not forget that Black Lives Matter too!
Andre E. Johnson is the Founder and Managing Editor of R3
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