Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong. – Psalm 37:1

Today's Scripture Reading (November 21, 2025): Psalm 37

I don't think that I have had to live through evil times. At least, nothing on the scale of an Adolf Hitler-led Germany or a Josef Stalin-led Russia. I have read about the events that occurred during those times, but I have not lived through them, and I am glad that I haven't. What would it be like to be a Jew boarding a train for the West, attempting to escape Hitler's policies, wondering if you were going to make it or get caught at the last moment?

I am not saying that such times are not possible during our day. Every day as I watch the news, it seems like evil is lurking, maybe just around the corner, waiting to see if we will dare to let our guard down. But it is not here; not yet. Some of the political parties might seem to be pressing the limits of evil. However, the fantastic part of that evaluation is that which party is closer to that evil likely still depends on your political beliefs. It seems to me that Adolf Hitler was objectively evil, as was Josef Stalin. But no one in our current political environment has that kind of image in our culture. (Which is why I am not naming the evil in our current culture. We might agree that there is evil in our society, and yet have differing ideas on who those evil characters might be.)

The question that I struggle with is what I would do if I lived during the eras of truly evil people. Do I have the faith not to worry if I lived during their times? It is a lot to ask. I love the way that Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) responds to this text.

The Psalm opens with the first precept. It is alas! too common for believers in their hours of adversity to think themselves harshly dealt with when they see persons utterly destitute of religion and honesty, rejoicing in abundant prosperity. Much needed is the command, Fret not thyself because of evildoers. To fret is to worry, to have the heartburn, to fume, to become vexed. Nature is very apt to kindle a fire of jealousy when it sees lawbreakers riding on horses, and obedient subjects walking in the mire: it is a lesson learned only in the school of grace (Charles Spurgeon).

Do I fret over the evil I see in our society? Probably. I worry, although I am not quite ready to blame my heartburn on that worry. But maybe. The Psalmist is clear. Don't fret because of the forces you see at work on the outside. As a good friend often reminds me, know that God is still on the throne. He is still at work even when things seem to be heading in the wrong direction. And he can work even through the greatest evil that we can imagine. What we need to do is, regardless of what is happening outside, to keep walking in the footsteps of Jesus and be the salt and light that our culture still needs. In the process, we can make this world, with the help of the Holy Spirit, a better place.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 72