Pleading the cause of people who are in need and afflicted is what it means to know God -- that's what God says. Are we caring for the afflicted and needy? Are we sticking up for them? Are we reaching out to them?
If we aren't then we are really missing it. We are really missing out on some of God's work that must be really really important to Him since He says it is the kind of work where we will know Him in it (or by doing it).
We must hear His heartbeat in pleading the cause of those downtrodden.
It is something to think about it....