The Ballad of the Unjust Judge

Based on Luke 18:1-8

Gathered friends, lend me your ears

I have a tale to tell;

Blesséd is the one who hears

And learns its message well.

My tale is of a certain judge

Who judged a certain city;

A judge who knew no fear of God,

Nor for his neighbour, pity.

Now in that city also was

A widow, weak and poor.

With no-one else to fight her cause,

She banged upon his door. 

"Oh help me please, please help me, Sir!

Yes, help me, please," she cried.

"For every day I've suffered much

Since my husband died.

"No food have I, nor means to farm;

On hand-outs I depend -

Yet still there's one who steals from me

- Only you can make it end!

"Take up my cause, and make him stop,

Avenge me - make it right!

Make him pay back all he owes.

Please save me from my plight!"

But the judge's heart was hard;

He cared not what was just.

And so he sent her on her way

To languish in the dust.

The widow, though, was not put off

And back she came, ' next day

To bang and plead and beg and cry

Until she got her way.

"Oh help me please, please help me, Sir!

Yes, help me, please," she cried.

 "For every day I've suffered much

Since my husband died.

"Take up my cause, and make him stop,

Avenge me - make it right!

Make him pay back all he owes.

Please save me from my plight!"

Still unmoved, the judge but sighed,

And told her to be gone.

But soon enough, again she tried

And so the scene went on:

"Oh help me please, please help me, Sir!

Yes, help me, please," she cried.

"For every day I've suffered much

Since my husband died.

"Take up my cause, and make him stop,

Avenge me - make it right!

Make him pay back all he owes.

Please save me from my plight!"

For weeks the widow, day by day,

Continued with her riot

Until at last the judge, he snapped

"Oh what I'd give for quiet!"

"Fear of God, nor care for man

could tempt me to comply.

But help I not, this woman, I fear,

Might punch me in the eye!"

And so, at last, the judge did yield -

The rest I hardly need tell:

The persistent widow won her appeal,

Was avenged and all was well.

In this tale there is, of course,

A lesson for us here -

For when we think our cries to God

Have fallen on deaf ears.

Think of that judge: a cruel man

Lacking good intent,

Yet even he, when asked and asked

Was prompted to relent.  

Our God is not cruel, but just,

And loves us - that is plain;

Thus it seems, it can't be that

Our prayers are made in vain.

When weak and poor we call to him;

When this earthly life is tough;

When others question - don't give up!

He'll answer soon enough!

If He seems slow, then we can trust

He has good cause to stall;

That judgement paused is done for grace,

That more may hear his call.

And since we cannot know the hour,

Let this be our concern:

Will he find faith within our hearts

That day when he returns?