World Leadership Through the Lens of Psalm 36

World affairs are largely affected by leaders, the quality of their approach, and their integrity - especially when these are lacking. To be sure we are all leaders to some degree or another and so how we act and our moral compass will greatly affect the lives of those around us. It is impossible to read portions of Psalm 36 and not think about some current world leaders:

"There is no fear of God before his eyes

For he flatters himself in his own eyes, when he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.

The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;

He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

He devises wickedness on his bed;

He sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not abhor evil."

Psalm 36:1-4

There are currently two leaders in the world, both engaged in war, whose character is revealed in these powerful words. 

• Both have lost or never had a true fear of God and His moral imperatives, even though they project themselves falsely as "men of God".
• Both are highly empowered by flattery from others and both exhibit self aggrandisement in their own eyes. Generally this self-importance is revealed at the times of their worst behavior.
• These leaders speak only wickedness and hate towards other people, often their own people, and other sovereign nations. They long ago ceased to be wise or good, if in fact they ever were.
• One leader is particualrly prone to outrageous viral posts late at night I suspect from his bedroom, often into the early morning.
• Both, in matter of fact, veil themselves in "good" when their purposes are actually evil. They call good evil and evil good. In a perverse way they do not recognize evil, even in themselves.
• Both are waging war in truly unjustified ways not out of defense but out of aggression.

King David of the Bible was confronted with such perilous leaders. While it is shocking to see that David's characterization of poor world leadership clearly rings true today, he fortunately realized that God is merciful and that His faithfulness reaches to the clouds (Ps. 36:5). God's lovingkindness is also evident (Ps. 36:7). The leaders of iniquity will eventually fall and they will eventaully be cast down (Ps. 36:12). In God we must trust.