Helping the oppressed and those suffering

https://odb.org/2026/04/22/joining-god-to-help

Psalm 72:12–14 (NIV): 12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.

It’s stunning, however, to see God’s attention turned toward these places of suffering and hopelessness. Somehow, ultimately, in His own way and time, He will “deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help” (72:12). And remarkably, one way God’s help arrives is through us. Psalm 72 refers to both King Solomon’s work and God’s work—and it’s not always easy to disentangle which is which. God is the rescuer, but He calls us to move with Him. (Winn Collier, Our Daily Bread 22nd April 2026)

The Scripture that comes to mind on the LORD God helping the oppressed and those suffering was when He declared He had seen the suffering of His people and heard their cries and sent Moses to deliver them from Pharoah. See below;

Exodus 3:7-10 NIV – 7 Then the Lord said, “I have seen how cruelly my people are being treated in Egypt; I have heard them cry out to be rescued from their slave drivers. I know all about their sufferings, 8 and so I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of Egypt to a spacious land, one which is rich and fertile and in which the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites now live. 9 I have indeed heard the cry of my people, and I see how the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 Now I am sending you to the king of Egypt so that you can lead my people out of his country.”

The LORD God also acted similarly during the time of the Babylonian exile of the Israelites when He proclaimed through His prophets Ezekial, Daniel and Jeremiah that He would free and deliver them. These culminated with Nehemiah and Ezra rebuilding the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem when the exiled Israelites were allowed to return during Persian rule (after the Babylonians were overrun). These are the same Persians that the Americans and Israelis are now at warring against, with both the Americans and Iranians blocking the Straits of Hormuz and disrupting the global flow of crude.

If you’re suffering and feeling hopeless, cry out to God. He will rescue and deliver you. Do not despair. Help is on the way. It may not be immediate but the Lord will surely help us out of our misery and sufferings. Times of difficulty are pivotal points for us not only to experience God’s grace but also to grow in our relationship with Him. These are times when we rely on Christ and not our own strength and abilities.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are those amongst us who may be inclined to work with the LORD God to help those who are suffering and are overwhelmed by hopelessness. Step up and step out in faith and action. Open our hearts to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. We may not know who are those suffering. The Lord will reveal to us as we move with Him. Let us be vessels and instruments for God to move in our midst, whether through signs and wonders, healing, finance or just being there with our presence and company!