Psalms 36-37
Let us consider wickedness and prosperity.
In your worldview, do you think they should go hand in hand with each other? Should the workers of iniquity flourish and the perpetrators of evil enjoy success?
Obviously, we do not think so. If you’ve ever cheered at the downfall of villains or gnashed your teeth at the baddies getting away scot-free in the movies, you know your innate sense of justice tells you bad things, not good, should happen to bad people.
However, we also know that despite this ideal of fairness we desire, there are plenty of instances we see around us in which the wicked prosper and nope, no bad things seem to happen to them.
What does the Bible say about these situations then? How does the Word of God exhort us when we witness this unfairness?
BIble Passage: Psalms 36-37
DO NOT FRET
This advice is repeated three times in Psalm 37 (verses 1, 7 and 8). Obviously, it is something we should take to heart. Let us first look at the dictionary definition of ‘fret’.
A short word but a rather expressive one, don’t you think?
When we keep thinking about the unfairness of the wicked prospering and are discontent with evil men doing well, it is likened to corroding our happiness and wearing away at our peace.
Sometimes, we brood about is so much that we might decide to join them in their evil ways ‘because they seem to be doing better anyway’. What’s worse, we might even think along the lines of ‘if God is really here, why are these things happening?’
Therefore, let us not ‘be envious of the workers of iniquity’ nor let the success of wicked men cause us any distress.
As the psalmist encourages us, ‘do not fret – it only causes harm’.
TRUST IN THE LORD
However, ‘do not fret’ seems to be something easier said than done. How can we not fret when our sense of fairness is so offended? How can the wicked not be punished if God is fair?
This is when the psalmist continues to encourage us by revealing the truth of the matter and how this seeming injustice will be resolved.
While the wicked seem to prosper now, they will ‘fall’, be ‘cast down’ and will ‘not [be] able to rise’ (36:12)…
…‘they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb’ (37:2)…
…their place ‘shall be no more’ (37:10)…
…and the Lord ‘laughs at [them]’ (37:13).
If we trust in the Lord, we know that His time will come soon, not according to our will and calculations but in the time He knows is best. We also know that He will repay each according to their deeds and the wicked, while seemingly escaping justice in this world, will not be able to flee from His righteous judgement ultimately.
For this reason, we know and trust that while what we see before us is temporal and unfair, what awaits us is eternal and impartial.
DO GOOD
In that case, we will continue to establish ourselves in the way of the Lord and not be swayed no matter what we encounter.
As a direct contrast to the wicked that shall perish, we strive to ‘trust in the Lord and do good’ (37:3); to be upright in the eyes of God so that He will know our days – to provide for us and to sustain us to the end for these days are only the beginning of our days with Him in eternity.
If we continue on this path and ‘wait on the Lord and keep His way’ (37:34), He shall be our salvation and our strength amidst the iniquity and injustice around us.
*******
So far, we have been putting ourselves in the position of those who look upon the wicked prospering. This is something that should be so for we belong to God and should be reckoned among the righteous.
Nevertheless, as the Bible encourages us, we must constantly reflect upon ourselves and take heed lest we fall.
As we read about the deeds of the wicked and the nature of sin, do we find any of such traits in ourselves?
Do we have no fear of God? Flatter ourselves? Cease to be wise? (36:1-3)
Let us quickly correct ourselves and turn our steps then.
As we continue on our journey of faith with the Word of God as our guide, may we truly be changed by it and be more and more like Him daily.