A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked

“Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless.
    Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
    so mere people can no longer terrify them.” Psalm 10:17 – 18 (NLT)

My favourite bible verses on justice are pretty obscure. Psalm 10:17-18 is not often quoted in sermons and I have yet to see it on a t-shirt. In one translation, it’s titled “A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked”, which may explain its lack of popularity. The entire Psalm has been an anchor for me in my work. It starts off with a question many of us may ask when we learn about a terrible injustice – God, why aren’t you doing something about this? It tells the story of a wicked person who violently oppresses the poor, all the while assuming that God either doesn’t exist, doesn’t see, or has forgotten about the ones he is abusing.

But the truth is God sees and hears the violence being done to the poor and because He loves them He brings justice for them.

Often victims of injustice are hidden in plain sight. In International Justice Mission’s work against cybersex trafficking of children in the Philippines, we find that many of our young victims have the appearance of a normal life; they regularly attend school during the day while being exploited at home. Their sexual abuse is live-streamed online to be seen by those on the other side of the world-including Canadians-who demand and pay for their exploitation. This devastating form of abuse is growing at an alarming late. The stories of these young victims and their cries for help are not hidden from God, and He invites us to see and hear these children so that we can help to end this abuse.

Through #NotOnMyScreen, IJM Canada’s initiative to end the Canadian demand for cybersex trafficking of children, you are invited to see, hear and love. To see the role that Canadians play in this abuse, to hear the stories of brave survivors like Cassie and Maarko, and to love by taking action, praying and choosing to lend your voice and resources to the fight.

I once had a friend say to me that she could never do my job, because she’s too empathetic and could not bear to hear the stories of survivors of violence. Admittedly, my job requires me to see and hear very difficult stories, but I count it a privilege to be entrusted with the stories of survivors – to amplify their voices by speaking to those who would not otherwise hear them.
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Right now there are still children trapped and abused in the dark world of cybersex trafficking. You can take action and help end it. Join the fight at www.notonmyscreen.ca