Concerning Life as It Is Supposed to Be

The Sojourner

I’m preparing a sermon on Psalm 94 for this Sunday and noticed that God’s concern for the weak and oppressed and under-served finds expression in verse 6 as the psalmist expresses anger that the wicked “kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless.”

The lexiconsays that the word translated here as sojourner “…is a man who (alone or with his family) leaves village and tribe because of war, famine, epidemic, blood guilt etc. and seeks shelter and residence at another place, where his right of landed property, marriage and taking part in jurisdiction, cult and war has been curtailed.”

It is clear that God has a heart for the widow, the orphan, and the sojourner, and it is clear that he reserves judgment for those who misuse their power over such.

To apply Scripture to life requires considering how biblical categories translate into modern situations. In our case, the widow may be the literal widow, or the single mom. The orphan may be the child bounced around in foster care, or the unborn child in the womb.

Who in our day would correspond to the sojourner?

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1 Comment

  1. I will be happy to answer your question "who in our day would correspond to the sojourner" in our country? The immigrant! Many years ago we lost our home, our life was in danger,and we had to escape, seek shelter, a new home. And we were accepted and welcomed by the United States of America. Praise the Lord!God's concern for the mistreatment of the Widow (widow and widower) , the Orphan and the Sojourner is spelled out in several places in the Bible and God makes it clear that the condemnation of the wicked will be severe. A specific example would be Matthew 23:14, Christ is not smiling here, He is very angry.Paul Der.

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