King David looked out at the world and was troubled. He didn’t need the Internet to paint a bleak picture of society or The New York Times to remind him of crime and suffering. Even without a cable news show to give him all the bad news, he saw the evil.

He looked around and saw that “the godly man ceases.” He noticed that “the faithful disappear.” In his world, everyone spoke “idly” to his neighbor “with flattering lips and a double heart” (Ps. 12:1-2).

This description may sound like the theme of a TV show, but it was life, circa 1,000 BC. While we may view society’s evils as much worse than anything before, David reminds us that evil is not a 21st-century innovation.

But David’s words also give us hope. Notice his reaction to the bad news he bore. In verse 1, he turned to God and cried, “Help!” Then he implored God with specific needs. The response he got was positive. God promised that because He rules righteously, He would provide protection and safety (vv.5-7).

When you are discouraged by all the bad news, cry out for God’s help. Then bask in the confidence of His assurance. Three thousand years after David, God is still, and always will be, in control.  — Dave Branon