Our daily reflections follow the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, designed for those who want to read the whole Bible in one year. Each reflection focuses on one of the chapters from that day's readings. Darllenwch rhain yn Gymraeg.
Lord, prepare me to receive your word. Clear my mind and warm my heart. Assure me of your loving purposes for me, and speak into my life today.
In recent years, wrongdoing by powerful people has increasingly made headlines. We've read about evil in high places in politics, business and the Church, from sexual abuse to financial scandals. A common theme seems to have been that those responsible felt invulnerable. They didn't believe they were bound by the same rules as ordinary people because they were rich and influential; they could do whatever they liked.
There is nothing new about this. In Psalm 10, the 'wicked' say to themselves, 'I will never fail, I will never be in trouble' (verse 6). They tell themselves that 'God doesn't care! He has closed his eyes and will never see me!' (verse 11).
The psalmist here paints a picture of what people are like when they feel they are unaccountable. There's a bias in human nature towards sin, which needs to be controlled and corrected. Good laws and good customs can help, but the transformation of the heart can only happen through the Holy Spirit of God.
The 'wicked' – both the large-scale, headline-making sinners who end up in prison or publicly disgraced, and the smaller evil-doers whose small acts of spitefulness make the lives of their families or colleagues miserable – are under the eyes of God, whether they know it or not. 'You will listen, O Lord, to the prayers of the lowly,' says the psalmist; 'you will give them courage' (verse 17).
God, help me to remember that everything I do is in your sight. When I see wicked people prospering, help me not to be afraid of them but to trust in your power to save.
This reflection was written by Mark Woods, Bible Society's Editor
Read the Bible 
Processing...