I was in the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee when I heard a breaking news alert delivered to my iPhone. I cringed. Frankly, the news has been so gut wrenching lately, some days I fear I’ll come down with a severe case of compassion fatigue. Of course, that’s the last thing I want. For years, I’ve prayed that God will give me thick skin and a tender heart. But by all accounts, the last several months have been a challenging time in regards to world events, and it’s easy to become weary from a steady dose of devastating news.
We’ve seen an increased number of terrorist attacks by ISIS, a global refugee crisis, the Orlando shooting at Pulse nightclub, racial tensions that have left both civilians and police officers dead in multiple states, and a contentious political environment that is gaining toxic steam as the November election approaches.
The Bible makes it clear that when Christians are faced with hatred, evil, and human suffering, we are called to pray (James 5:13). Prayer isn’t usually the only thing we should do in times of crises, but it should always be the first.
But have you ever wondered how we should pray when it seems that hatred and evil is abounding?
In Psalm 5, we see that King David found himself in a similar situation. He was living in a environment filled with deception and was surrounded by enemies who intended to harm him. Wisely, David approached God in prayer and declared, “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.” (Psalm 5:4).
David understood that God hates evil and that prayer is the primary way to confront wickedness. As David prayed, he asked God for three things:
- David prayed for guidance. In Psalm 5:8 David prayed, “Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.” When surrounded by overwhelming evil, it’s difficult to know how to proceed. God knows things about our situations that we don’t and possesses wisdom that we lack. We need to ask Him for specific guidance. God has a long and faithful history of guiding His people.
- David prayed for justice. This might make some of you uncomfortable. But in Psalm 5:10 David prayed, “Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.” This passage is why Psalm 5 is known as an “Imprecatory Psalm.” The Bible gives us permission to pray for justice against those who have sinned against God. While it’s absolutely true that “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16), He is also “light” (1 John 1:5) and in His holiness He must deal with sin. As we pray for justice, we should also pray for our enemies to come to a saving relationship with Christ that transforms their hearts, minds, and actions (Matt 5:44). If they are judged apart from Christ, they will fall under God’s condemnation (Romans 8:1). One way or the other, all sin will be dealt with.
- David prayed for God’s protection and blessing. In Psalm 5:11-12 David prayed for God’s blessing and protection and then declared, “For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.” As God’s children, we too, should ask to God to bless and protect us and then move forward in faith knowing He is faithful.
When we see evil unfold right before our eyes (or on our TV screens) it’s tempting to believe there is nothing we can do. But there’s always something we can do. As Charles Spurgeon said, “Prayer is the best response to hatred.
