The Lodestar

The poor and the needy are powerless and helpless. In ancient and modern societies, they were the ones exploited by the rich and the powerful. The Old Testament prophets protested against the injustice done to the weaker sections of society.

Prophet Amos condemned the aristocrats “who oppress the poor, who crush the needy” (Amos 4:1). The Law insists on caring for the poor and needy and not causing them pain. “You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners in your land within your towns” (Deuteronomy 24:14).

Zechariah reminded the people of his society: “Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart” (Zech 7:10).

However, the poor and the needy were always vulnerable. Even in the first century A.D., the rich continued taking advantage of the weaker ones. The rich oppressed the poor and even dragged them to court (James 2:6). Modern societies continue to torture the weak and exploit the needy.

The poor and the needy have resorted to protests, strikes, and violent means to improve their lives. But the irony is that struggles have created a new elite who, with their newfound power, continue to oppress those weaker than them. The vicious circle goes on without an end in sight. The powerful will continue to oppress the weaker, and the rich will continue to exploit the poor.

However, the psalmist’s hope is not in this world’s formulae to uplift the poor. He raises his hope to the Lord, who is mindful of the poor and the needy. He had experienced the Lord's power to say, “The Lord takes thought for me.” He is the defender of the poor and the helpless.

When we are exploited and oppressed, and there is no one to help, let us turn our eyes to the Lord. “For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy” (Psalm 72:12—13).