(Psalms 12:8) The wicked prowl on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Reading this verse from Psalm 12 is more than a little unsettling, even in a psalm that for the most part is very encouraging. As we understand the psalms to be used in the praise of God, verse eight would appear to be an extremely sour note, one that without proper context would cause despair rather than hope and confidence in God.

For Christians in America, this is very painfully true and more real, with each passing day.

“The wicked prowl on every side” reminds us of the reality of Satan and his kingdom of darkness bent on destroying those who would follow the Lord Jesus Christ. We are warned in I Peter 5:8 to be sober and vigilant for our adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking to devour the fallen, isolated, and exposed Christian.

In Psalm 17 we get a clear picture of how the wicked, those who are of the world, prowl on every side in the psalmist’s plea for protection.

(Psalms 17:8-12) ⁸ Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings, ⁹ from the wicked who oppress me, from my deadly enemies who surround me. ¹⁰ They have closed their fat hearts; with their mouths they speak proudly. ¹¹ They have now surrounded us in our steps; they have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth, ¹² as a lion is eager to tear his prey, and like a young lion lurking in secret places.

Many a Christian will declare, we can avert this if we just get congress back or the presidency, but if we are living in the last days, which most agree on, then the prowlers will increase. This is the reality of living in the culmination of human history. Being hated by all nations, means being hated, even in America.

For people of faith in Christ, there have been numerous things sold as good public policy to expose those contrary to the new world global agenda. There is no hiding the light, because with purposefully created food shortages, gas prices, and inflation, those who will not bow to the new ways, will be shut out of provision.

It is the desire of the nation’s to throw off God’s ways, will and conviction, as they war against the LORD and His Messiah (Psalm 2). In this war, they will cancel, persecute, and kill at will, as prowling lions. This is especially true when “vileness is exalted in the sons of men”.

Let me ask the question. What nation on earth is the genesis of the most vileness in the world today? It is the United States of America. Let us examine this briefly.

What free nation murders more children through abortion yearly? The United States at 1,000,000 per year. The only nation with more per year is China, where they perform abortions forcibly on woman.

What is the only nation in history that has had its government applaud, protect and promote the abomination of homosexual marriage and LGBT rights? The United States of America.

What nation has doubled children with “gender dysphoria” or those who believe themselves to be transgendered, in one year? The United States of America.

What nation for that matter has elevated the perversions of the LBGTQ community to a daily media barrage of its people, with the pressure of both parties of politics. The United States.

What nation has influenced the world with more pornographic smut, useless time-wasting inventions and lifestyle pursuit that is wholly selfish? The United States.

What nation has made the businessmen of other nations rich beyond anything imagined? The United States of America.

What nation still directs world policy by its acquiescence to the United Nations and is thereby the singularly most influential nation on earth? The United States. Consider some scripture considering these truths and the sign of the times being fulfilled.

(Revelation 18:1-3) ​¹ After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. ² And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! ³ For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication (sexual immorality including lesbianism, sodomy, pornography), the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” ⁴ And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. ⁶ Render to her just as she rendered to you and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. ⁷ In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ ⁸ Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

Reading the rest of Revelation 18 will reveal the wealth, power and industry of Babylon and how America fits the narrative perfectly. Consider another passage of scripture concerning a similar nation to the United States and its disposition.

(Ezekiel 16:48-52) ⁴⁸ “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. ⁴⁹ Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. ⁵⁰ And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.⁵¹

The United States of America has become perfect  in its exaltation of vileness, therefore the wicked prowl on every side, but this is not to cause us despair.

In the first place, as Christians, we are not to be those who are concerned with saving our own bacon. The Holy Spirit in us, calls us to a sense of divine justice and desire to see the end of vileness and abomination. Just as Christians in communist countries are to stand opposed and pray for the end of the evil of their nations (even if it means judgment adversely affects their ability to live and thrive), so are we. Does not the blood of 70 million butchered babies cry out for justice in our hearts? Does not promotion of LGBTQ perversion through politics, sports, entertainment, and education, with its destruction of our youth, cause our hearts to cry out for God’s justice?

We Christians need to stop praying for a return to the days of self-righteous moral veneer, so we can go back to sleep waiting for the rapture; as we live a life that seems like a permanent vacation to 95% of our brethren around the world. WE need to stop holding on to this life and learn to live is Christ (with prowlers all around if we are worth our salt in the faith department) and to die and be with Jesus is far better (Philippians 1:1-21).

Secondly, let us remember that Psalm 12 is a Psalm of God’s grace, provision and protection, when all hell breaks loose against us.

Psalms 12:1-2 ​¹ Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. ² They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

We certainly see the truth in these two verses, which line up with Jesus’ question in Luke 18:8 “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”. Psalm 12:1-2 certainly fits the narrative concerning the perilous times and character of man on earth, in the last days written of in I Timothy 3:1-9. But let us remember that God does answer prayers according to His will.

Psalms 12:3-5 ³ May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things, ⁴ Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; Who is lord over us?” ⁵ “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”

Will God cut off the flattering lips and the tongue that speaks proud things, such as mentioned in verse 4? Yes, He will! He will arise against the oppression of the poor in spirit (those who receive Christ) and for the sighing of the needy—He will set us in the safety we yearn for.

How do we know?

(Psalms 2:1-6) And the people plot a vain thing? ² The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, ³ “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.” ⁴ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. ⁵ Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: ⁶ “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.”

When will this take place? When Christ returns personally and visibly.

(Psalms 2:7-12) ⁷ “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. ⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.'” ¹⁰ Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. ¹¹ Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. ¹² Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

The problem of us Christians in the world today is the same human problem Christians 2000 years ago had to deal with. We need to remember that our reward is with Christ, in eternity, rather than believing our faith is to give us a prosperous, protected and peace life now. Read Acts chapter 1 and find that the disciples were looking for something that was still off in the distance.

So here is the punchline: regardless of those prowling on every side—regardless of the exaltation of vileness around us, God is still our Father—Jesus Christ is still with us—He will hear our prayers and answer them—He will empower us with love and grace to live faithfully in the coming trouble—and the wicked and the vile will get their just desserts.

God is just, we can count on that. It is important to remember the word of God in the tribulation of the times, which gives us strength to overcome, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, because we love Him more than our own lives.