The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,
all the nations that forget God.
But God will never forget the needy;
the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
Arise, Lord, do not let mortals triumph;
let the nations be judged in your presence.
Strike them with terror, Lord;
let the nations know they are only mortal. Psalm 9:15-20

The imagery displayed in these verses is vivid. On one hand many nations – meaning the rulers and their governments – believe they are invincible and unstoppable. They rise to power and fortune on the hard labors of the poor, and then pretend they champion the cause of the poor. They certainly don’t understand justice for if they did, there would be far less corruption, graft, and deceit. We echo David: let the nations know they are only mortal.

Pray for your government today. No matter where you live, there is bound to be corruption and greed throughout administrations. At best there is a thirst for power that generally goes unsatisfied.

Pray that your government will realize their mortality, especially in regards to the poor. The less they humanize their programs, the more corrupt the programs tend to be. Corruption, kickbacks, and graft will destroy a nation just it destroyed much of Detroit.

Pray also that media will do what they’ve said their mission has always been: to speak truth to power, to ask the tough questions, and to report all the facts.