“The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.” (Psalm 37:12-13)
Does it ever seem like the disobedient kids you know get all the attention? Everyone knows who they are, and it can seem as though they get chosen to receive special attention. At least, the teacher spends extra time with them. If you’ve ever noticed this before, you probably agree with the psalmist in Psalm 73:3 when he says, “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” The psalmist had begun to feel a little bit jealous, because he had been trying so hard to keep doing what was right – yet it seemed to him that those who were habitually sinning were getting rewarded for wrongdoing!
But the psalmist’s jealous heart changed when he began to think about the real situation that wicked people are in. His psalm goes on to say that he stopped being jealous of the way the wicked seemed to be prospering. He talked to God about how he had been feeling, and God made it clear that the wicked were soon going to be destroyed – destroyed quickly and completely (Psalm 73:19).
God’s Word reveals clearly that He is laughing at the wicked. He is a merciful God, and He is a kind God. In one sense, God is open to the wicked and invites them to change their ways: If wicked people were to repent of their sins and trust Christ as Savior, God would gladly and graciously welcome them into His family. But there is another sense in which God delights to see justice brought upon unjust people. If there are wicked people who seem to be “winning” here on Earth while people who love and obey God seem to be “losing,” you can trust that God is aware (He knows) and that God will see that justice is done.
That’s why the Bible says God laughs when the wicked plot (plan evil things to do) against His people. God laughs because He knows what the wicked people cannot know. From His view in heaven, God can see everything happening – past, present, and future – and He knows the future of wicked people. For a little while, it may appear that wicked people are blessed while obedient people suffer. But that is not how it will always be. One day, God Himself will destroy those wicked people who do not repent of their wrongdoing. He knows about the destruction of the wicked. He also knows how He will one day bless those who are being faithful to Him.
God laughs at the wicked because He knows that their destruction is coming soon.
My Response:
» Am I one of the wicked ones who God is laughing at? If yes, should I confess that to Him and ask Him to help me change?
» Am I jealous of the wicked? If yes, should I confess that to God and ask Him to give me faith in His faithfulness?