a great God in dark days

Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone;

for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.

Psalm 12:1

The Lord is the only light in a dark society. When a culture is given over to sin and ungodliness, the people of God may feel alone, abandoned, oppressed, and overwhelmed. We MUST cry out to God when it is darkest. Only God can remedy this situation, keep His people safe, and make His power known by deliverance in such times.

David recounts his dark world in this way in Psalm 12: 

1) Trust is scarce as lying is all the social communication craze (Psalm 12:2). 2) Proud flattery abounds among a vain and pretentious people who constantly embellish one another (Psalm 12:3-4). 3) The impoverished and needy are forgotten and even purposefully taken advantage of by these self-absorbed narcissists (Psalm 12:5). 4) Predatory behavior threatens the righteous as what is evil becomes the focus of celebration and civic pride (Psalm 12:8).

Three things bring hope and help during dark times: 

1) God will keep even the oppressed safe by His care (Psalm 12:5). 2) The purity of God’s Word counteracts and disinfects those surrounded by dark lies and flattery (Psalm 12:6) and becomes the supreme valuable commodity for the believer. 3) God will provide permanent protection for the generation that trusts Him and receives His Word (Psalm 12:7).

Even when the days are the darkest, God will bring hope, care, strength, protection, and light to those who call upon Him!