Psalm 82:3-4 “Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice for the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; rid them out of the hand of the wicked”

From Genesis until the last book in the old testament, Malachi – we see our Abba YHWH’s Heart, for the widows and orphans. In Malachi 3:5 we read, “And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow H490, and the fatherless H3490, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith YHWH of hosts.” We see David describe YHWH as follow back in Psalm 68:5, “A father of the fatherless, and a Judge for the widows“.

The hebrew word for orphan or fatherless is Yatom H3490 – yāṯôm, and the greek word is Orphanos G3737 – orphanos. We see how Yeshua Himself comforts the disciples and say in John 14:18, “I will not leave you comfortless: G3737 I will come to you.” The orphans means so much to YHWH, who is our Father, that He even makes it a law in the Torah! In Exodus 22:22 we read, “Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. H3490″ This law is repeated over and over. It is almost like one of those things on how to recognize evil, like when you see someone hurting an animal, it shows your heart!

The hebrew word for widow is Almana H490 – ‘almānâ, also related to the meaning of desolated or forsaken, bereaved – even in the case of where a husband divorces or leaves his wife and leave her stranded. Although there probably were many widows since Adam and Eve, the first widow we are told about is Tamar in Genesis 38:11, “Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow H490 at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown”. Judah then treats her unfairly, and we read the length that Tamar goes to for what was rightfully hers to claim. We have posted twice on Tamar, her story in Genesis 38 (click here to read more), and David’s daughter Tamar which suffered greatly at her brothers’ lust (click here to read more). In the last post, with 2 Samuel 14, what is actually beautiful to learn is that Tamar means Palm tree, which represents enduring hardships and still providing for others around them.

The other word used here in Psalm 82, and a lot through Scripture is for the Needy, hebrew word Rus H7326 – rûš – meaning those who are poor, in need, lack, destitute. Proverbs warns in Chapter 28:27, “He that giveth unto the poor H7326 shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes for his needs, shall have many a curse.” The widow and orphan might or might now be in Need financially, therefor the ultimate heart is for all who are in need. What a widow (or husbandless) needs is someone to protect and help with the hard tasks in life, and an orphan (or fatherless) needs the love, protection, guidance and teachings only a father can give. It is not only finances that one can give to those around you, it is whatever you can give as support for anyone who is “Needy”.

Isaiah 1:17 says, “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge for the fatherless, plead for the widow.”