Wickedness Does Not Win!

February 24, 2026

Scripture

“The wicked plot against the righteous, and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that their day is coming.”  Psalm 37:12-13

Wickedness Does Not Win!

David saw evil in the form of a military enemy attacking his nation.  David saw wickedness in the form of unfaithfulness in a marriage covenant.  David saw evil in the form of the taunting of a giant soldier.  David saw wickedness in the form of insecurity and fear and grief in himself.  David saw evil in the form of his son raping his own sister.  David saw evil in the form of dysfunction in his family.  David saw evil in the form of trying to cover up sin.

David saw and experienced wickedness and evil and sin.  Like most of us, he tried to dismiss the wickedness, he tried to cover-up the evil, and he tried to deny the sin.  It is the prophet Nathan who finally confronts King David in a way that David cannot ignore or dismiss.

In I Samuel 12:7-9 the prophet Nathan confronts the wickedness of David.  We hear; “Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man!  Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah, and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more.  Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight?” 

Later in his life, David reflects upon the power of evil and sin.  In Psalm 37:12-13 he writes; “The wicked plot against the righteous, and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that their day is coming.”

The schemes of the wicked will impact those who love the Lord God.  The plotting of those who are evil will hurt those whose faith is in the Lord God.  The designs of the sinful will collide with God’s dream for those who chase after the Lord God. 

The wicked, the evil, and the sinful will sometimes seem to have the advantage over us.  They prosper financially while we struggle to make ends meet.  They gain influence and status while our thoughts and feelings seem unimportant.  They accumulate power while we seem to have very little power or authority.

And yet, David tells us the Lord knows the end of those who pursue wickedness.  In Psalm 37:13 David writes; “…their (i.e., the wicked) day is coming…”  However, between now and the day that marks the end of people’s evil ways, we experience the power of darkness working in and through other people…sometimes good people. 

I remember a young woman who was possessed by a demon.  I was standing near her in the front of a small chapel.  With a gravelly, snarling voice not her own and wild eyes looking deep into me she said to me; “Go to hell and burn with the hottest fire!”  It was more than hurt or anger or confrontation.  It was vile; there was a gnashing of teeth and a very dark darkness. 

Wickedness often presents itself in the form of deception, manipulation, and devious plotting.  However, when evil attacks you or me, there may be a sound like gnashing teeth, an attitude of disgust, and a look of wildness. 

The power of darkness often has a sound, a look, a presence that we can see and hear and feel and sense.  When wickedness comes near, it is obvious the power of darkness is trying to compromise us, deceive us, and destroy us.

David had seen what wickedness and evil could do in his life, in his reign as king, in his relationships with other people, in his faith in the Lord, and in his family.  And yet, even after experiencing the power of darkness David still possesses hope. 

In Psalm 37:13 he writes; “…but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that their day is coming.”  The Lord God is not intimidated by wickedness.  The Lord God is not deterred by the power of sin.  The Lord God is not weakened by the presence of evil. 

David emphasizes the Lord God’s response to wickedness by using the word “but.”  “But” means there is something or someone else that has more power, more hope, and more of a future.  The Lord God laughs at wickedness and sin and evil because He knows that through the death of the Son of God on a cross the victory over sin and death has already been won.

The Bible reminds us that through Jesus we are set free from the power of sin and death as well as the power of evil and darkness.  In Romans 8:2 the Apostle Paul writes; “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

In Hebrews 2:14-15 we hear; “…through death he (Jesus) might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.”

This is good news!  Our Lord is so strong and so wise and so present that the wicked cannot and will not persevere.  Our Lord will win the victory.  The resurrection of Jesus is the evidence that sin, evil, and death do not have the last word. 

Through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, I know the Lord can laugh in the face of evil, in the face of the power of darkness, and in the face of the wicked.  Their day is coming; my freedom from their schemes and their attacks will come.  Jesus laughs!  I am grateful, Jesus!

Reflect

Where does it feel like wickedness, sin, or the power of darkness is winning in your life?  How can you hold onto the promise that wickedness does not have the last word, sin does not forever destroy, and evil does not win the final battle?  Can you put a name to the manifestation of evil, sin, or wickedness in your life?  Can you ask Jesus to win victory over these dark things or people?

Pray

Lord God, I confess there are days and sometimes whole seasons when I feel wickedness or sin or darkness is winning in my life.  Forgive me, when I yield to the deceptions, the distractions, and the destruction of wickedness.  Give me strength and courage to resist the power of darkness in my life.  Give me hope that You will win the victory over the power of darkness in my life.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

Act

Take a moment to write down the way in which wickedness is impacting your life in a hurtful or harmful way.  After you have written your description, take some time to ask Jesus to help you resist the temptations and attacks of wickedness and sin and evil.  Also, ask Jesus to grow in you a deeper faith so you face these dark things with courage and strength.