Good Judgment – The Presidential Prayer Team

He will judge the world in righteousness. – Psalm 96:13

People often view judgment as a negative concept—something harsh, heavy-handed, or scary. Yet Psalm 96 is filled with rejoicing in God, for who He is and what He has done. His judgment is good. It punishes evil, sets the captive free, and makes things right in the world. The Lord is all-knowing, loving, and wise. God’s judgments are faithful, true, and much to be desired.

Yes, mercy and grace are expedient, especially when you find yourself wandering from God’s precepts. But even mercy and grace are part of God’s judgment. Mercy and grace are found in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. That is where judgment and grace meet. Believers can look forward to an eternity with Him. Christ’s followers take hope in the day that He will judge the world in righteousness.

1 Corinthians 3:13 says that though believers in Jesus are saved, their works will be judged. Are you going about your Father’s business? What has God called you to do? When in doubt, reach out to God in worship and in love toward others. Use your skills, talents, and resources to love God and help people who come across your path. As you come before Him today, thank Him for His judgments as well as His grace and mercy. God is good. God is love. God is holy.

Lift the United States before the Lord and ask that He draw citizens and government officials to His mercy and grace. Pray that He would work out His will in all of the country’s current issues.

Today’s Verse: Psalm 96:13

before the Lord, for he comes,
    for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
    and the peoples in his faithfulness.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: 1 Corinthians 3:10-17

¹⁰According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. ¹¹For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

¹⁶Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.