Does God Exist? If God Is Just, Why Is Life Unfair? |  Bible Reading Plan for Seekers | January 15 

🌱 A Warm Welcome

Welcome to our 365-Day Journey to Discover God!

Have you ever experienced something that felt deeply unfair?

Maybe you worked hard but didn't receive the recognition you deserved. Perhaps you watched someone kind get hurt while the person responsible seemed to face no consequences. Or maybe you've been misunderstood or treated unfairly and didn't know who would listen.

When things like this happen, it's natural to wonder: Why can't the world be a little fairer?

Most of us have a strong sense that fairness matters. Even though we may not always agree on what is fair, we generally want kindness to be respected, harmful actions to have consequences, and people to be treated justly.

So if there really is a God who created heaven and earth, what kind of God is He? Does He care about justice? Could He be unfair, show favoritism, or misuse His power the way people sometimes do?

Today, we'll explore three verses from Psalm 89 and discover how the Bible describes God's character.

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📖 Bible Background | What Is Psalm 89 About?

Psalms is a collection of 150 songs and poems in the Old Testament. These writings express people's praise, gratitude, questions, and prayers through different experiences of life.

Psalm 89 is introduced as a Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. It is a rich and thoughtful poem that praises God's mercy and faithfulness while also expressing deep confusion about difficult circumstances.

At the beginning of the psalm, the writer declares that he will sing of God's mercies and make His faithfulness known. He recalls God's covenant with David and praises God's authority over heaven and earth.

But this psalm isn't joyful from beginning to end. In its later verses, the writer describes suffering and national hardship. He even asks God why the situation seems so different from what God had promised.

This makes Psalm 89 especially meaningful for anyone exploring faith. The writer believes God is righteous and faithful, yet he doesn't pretend that everything happening around him makes sense.

Today's reading, verses 14–16, comes from the section praising God's character. It describes the foundation of God's rule and the qualities that define His relationship with His people.

🌿 A Look Back | Knowing the Creator and Understanding His Character

Earlier in our journey, Genesis introduced us to the God whom the Bible describes as the Creator of heaven and earth. Through other passages, we've explored His greatness, wisdom, and knowledge of human life.

In Psalm 139, we learned that David believed God knew his thoughts, words, and daily activities. The God described in Scripture is not only powerful enough to create the universe but also knows what happens within the human heart.

But power and knowledge alone don't tell us whether someone can be trusted.

A person may be intelligent and powerful without being fair. Someone in authority might use that power to protect others—or to take advantage of them.

So as we continue exploring the God described in the Bible, there's another important question we need to ask:

If God has supreme authority, how does He use that authority?

Today's passage introduces us to what the Bible says about the foundation of God's rule.

🔎 Today's Introduction | Does Having Power Mean Being Fair?

Imagine living in a place where one ruler has complete authority. What qualities would you hope that ruler possessed?

You might want someone wise enough to make good decisions and strong enough to protect people. But there's probably another quality you would care deeply about: fairness.

Power without justice can become frightening.

In everyday life, we sometimes see authority being misused. Some people receive special treatment because of their wealth, position, or connections, while others are overlooked because they have little influence. Even when laws and institutions exist, not everyone receives equal or fair treatment.

So what about the God described in the Bible?

Psalm 89:14 gives us a remarkable statement:

"Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face."

In the ancient world, a throne represented a king's authority and government. The psalmist uses this image to describe God's rule.

According to this verse, God's authority is not based on selfishness, favoritism, or uncontrolled power. Justice and righteous judgment are fundamental to who He is.

That's a claim worth thinking about carefully.

🎯 Today's Reflection Focus | God's Rule Is Founded on Justice and Righteousness

1. Justice and Righteous Judgment — What Is the Foundation of God's Authority?

Psalm 89:14 says:

"Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne."

In the Bible, justice and righteousness are closely connected with what is morally right, fair judgment, and the proper treatment of others.

The psalmist believes God is not a ruler who can simply change the meaning of right and wrong whenever He wishes. His rule is rooted in justice.

This is different from the ways human power is sometimes exercised. People may make unfair decisions because of personal interests, emotions, or prejudice. But Scripture presents God's character and rule as fundamentally just.

However, this verse does not claim that the world we currently live in is perfectly fair.

Instead, it begins with a statement about what God is like, according to the Bible.

That raises another question we'll continue exploring: If God is just, how does He respond to evil and injustice in the world?

2. Mercy and Truth — Is a Just God Also Compassionate?

The second half of verse 14 says:

"Mercy and truth shall go before thy face."

This is an important part of the picture.

The Bible doesn't describe God's justice as cold, uncaring judgment without compassion.

The word "mercy" points to God's steadfast love and kindness. "Truth" also carries the idea of faithfulness and reliability—being true to His promises.

The psalmist brings these qualities together: justice, righteous judgment, mercy, and faithfulness.

Why does that matter?

Because we might wonder: If God knows everything and judges according to what is right, what hope is there for people like us who make mistakes?

Today's passage doesn't yet explain everything the Bible teaches about sin, forgiveness, and salvation. But it introduces an important idea: God's justice and mercy are both part of His character.

According to Scripture, God cares about right and wrong, yet He is also merciful and faithful.

3. Walking in God's Light — What Does This Mean for Everyday Life?

Verses 15–16 describe the people who know the joyful sound, walk in the light of God's countenance, and rejoice in His name.

The expression "in the light of thy countenance" is poetic language describing life under God's favor and care.

For the psalmist, knowing God means more than recognizing His power. It also involves trusting His character and living in His presence.

If you're still exploring Christianity, this idea may feel unfamiliar.

But we can begin with a simpler question: If fairness, honesty, compassion, and faithfulness are qualities worth admiring, shouldn't they also influence the way we treat others?

Today's passage not only introduces us to the Bible's understanding of God. It also invites us to think more carefully about our own ideas of justice and fairness.

💭 Life Reflection | If God Is Just, Why Is the World Still Unfair?

After reading today's passage, you may have a very understandable question:

If God really is just, why is there still so much injustice in the world?

Why do hardworking people sometimes get mistreated? Why do innocent people suffer? Why do war, dishonesty, and oppression continue?

These are difficult questions, and they deserve more than quick or easy answers.

In fact, Psalm 89 itself contains this very tension.

The writer begins by praising God's justice and faithfulness, but later he faces painful circumstances and brings his confusion to God.

This reminds us that the Bible doesn't contain only songs of praise. It also preserves people's honest questions when life doesn't seem to make sense.

Today's three verses don't explain every injustice in the world. Nor do they promise that everyone who has been hurt will immediately receive fair treatment.

Instead, they begin with a claim about God's character: justice and righteous judgment are the foundation of His throne.

If that claim is true, then God's justice must be more than a beautiful idea. It must have something to do with how He sees right and wrong, how He treats people, and how He ultimately responds to evil.

We'll continue exploring these questions throughout our journey.

Meanwhile, today's passage also gives us something to consider about our own lives.

When we're treated unfairly, we want someone to understand us and stand up for what is right. But when we have influence or the ability to make decisions, do we treat others with the same fairness we hope to receive?

Have we ever shown favoritism because we liked someone more? Judged another person too quickly? Overlooked someone's feelings because they didn't have the confidence or opportunity to speak up?

Perhaps becoming curious about God's justice can also be the beginning of learning to treat others more fairly.

✍️ Questions & Small Action | Practicing Fairness in One Small Way

Questions to Think About

1. Have you ever experienced something that felt unfair? What kind of understanding or help did you most wish for at that time?

2. When you read that justice and righteous judgment are the foundation of God's throne, what does that make you think about the God described in the Bible? What questions do you still have?

3. Is there one situation in your everyday life where you could be a little more fair, honest, or understanding toward someone else?

Today's Small Action

Today, pay a little more attention to how you treat the people around you.

Perhaps you can listen to different opinions at work, avoid showing favoritism at home, or pause before deciding who's right or wrong when you hear only one side of a story.

You don't need to make a dramatic change. Just choose one small opportunity to practice fairness and understanding.

Then ask yourself:

"How do I want others to treat me fairly? Did I offer that same fairness to someone today?"