If Psalm 51 tells us how we should pray about our own sin, Psalms 52 and 53 help us learn how to pray about the sin we see in the world around us. And we cannot deny that sin is, and has always been a very big problem indeed. In fact, David tells us in 53:3 that sin has become so pervasive that “There is no one who does good, not even one.”

And since “no one” includes us, when we pray about other people’s sin we must keep our own faults and failures firmly in mind. Yes, some people openly engage in idolatry, worshipping worldly riches and indulging in all sorts of evil desires (52:7). Some even go so far as to deny the very existence of God (53:1). But since all of us are sinners, and since none of us really understands God (53:2), when we pray about the spectacular sins we see all around us, we remember that we ourselves have no room for pride.

At the same time, we must resist the temptation to seek personal vengeance. David famously and repeatedly turned down golden opportunities to kill King Saul (I Samuel 24:11 and 26:7-11), even though Saul had falsely accused him of rebellion and had spent years trying to kill him. Instead, as we see in 52:5, David trusted God to destroy his enemies. In short, David believed what God told Moses in Deuteronomy 32:35: “Vengeance is Mine, and retribution” (see also Romans 12:19).

So if other people’s sin is not a reason either for us to be proud of ourselves or to take justice into our own hands, how should we pray about it? In faith. As David points out at the end of Psalm 52, we are called to “trust in the lovingkindness of God” – the faithful, covenant-keeping, unconditional love of God – “forever and ever.” Moreover, regardless of how messed up the world around us may be, we are called to give God thanks for what He has done (52:9), and to wait on His name for the perfect justice that He alone is able to provide.

And if we have that kind of trust in God, if we draw close to Christ in faith, we will indeed flourish like green olive trees (52:8). For He promised, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37-38). So may Jesus’ love and justice flow through our prayers, our words and our deeds today, even in the face of the sin in the world around us.

Psalm 52 (NASB)

For the choir director. A Maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”
Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.
2 Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.
4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up, and tear you away from your tent, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah.
6 And the righteous will see and fear, And will laugh at him, saying,
7 “Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And was strong in his evil desire.”
8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.
9 I will give Thee thanks forever, because Thou hast done it, And I will wait on Thy name, for it is good, in the presence of Thy godly ones.

Psalm 53 (NASB)

For the choir director; according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,” They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good.
2 God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, To see if there is anyone who understands, Who seeks after God.
3 Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.
4 Have the workers of wickedness no knowledge, Who eat up My people as though they ate bread, And have not called upon God?
5 There they were in great fear where no fear had been; For God scattered the bones of him who encamped against you; You put them to shame, because God had rejected them.
6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores His captive people, Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.