Psalm 98
The prophets are often connected with abolition because of the clarity of the words around setting captives free, but the Psalms are also filled with words of abolition because the Psalms are filled with praise of the victory of God.
Ultimately, abolition points to the victory of God. When humans obsess over justifying the status quo criminal justice system, they deny the victory of God. We must mete out justice ourselves because all we have is ourselves.
The Psalms point to a different expectation of reality. “O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.” If God has won the victory, that means that we don’t need to save ourselves. As well, that means that we don’t need to save others. We are not the messiahs. You are not the messiah. The State is not the messiah.
If we sing a new song to the Lord, that means we don’t need to sing the old song before we knew of God’s victory. We don’t need to sing the song of the status quo and taking justice into our own hands. We are in the season of Easter where God’s justice is most clearly seen in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death and torture. Death has no victory here. Justice is not understood by what we do but by who God is.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord. Can we make a joyful noise while supporting the Prison-Industrial Complex? Can we sing praises to the Lord and ignore those chained up by our society? Can we hear the hills and the seas sing of God’s victory and deny the power of God to transform every heart and mind?
As well, are we ready for God’s judgment of the world with righteousness when we accept and ignore such an unrighteous mark on our society? The Psalms speak of justice and righteousness. God’s justice is not just found in our hearts but poured out across creation and all human society. God calls us to participate in the world being made new through the righteousness of God. God calls us to make a joyful noise. God calls us to abolition.
Rev. Wilson Pruitt is a Methodist pastor and translator in Spicewood, TX.