“Because of the oppression of the poor and the groaning of the needy, now I will rise up,” says the Lord, “I will place in safety the one who longs for it.”
Here the Lord’s answer is heard. He sees the oppression of the poor and hears the groaning of the needy. The words “Now I will rise up” do not mean that God had been unaware or indifferent until then. They show that the time has come for Him to act and to establish justice openly. For people, the needy person’s groaning may seem weak and insignificant, but before God it does not remain ignored. The Lord promises to place the oppressed in safety and to deliver him from the condition in which he suffers. The expression “the one who longs” shows his deep desire to be freed from danger and oppression. God knows not only the spoken word, but also the hope and longing within a person. The verse comforts the oppressed, assuring him that his pain is not forgotten. At the same time it reminds us that God’s people are called to protect the weak and to comfort the sorrowful.