Why do bad things happen to good people?

Lamenting – A Psalm of Reality- Why do bad things happen to good people?

Psalm 10

When I first read Psalm 10, I felt a wave of confusion. What was this chapter supposed to teach me? I started over, and then it hit me: this psalm reflects the harsh truths of life—a psalm of reality.

It asks the hard questions many of us have wrestled with over the years. One of the most significant questions it raises is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Or paraphrased: “Why do those who seem far from God appear to prosper while those striving to live righteously face struggles and setbacks?”

The author of Psalm 10 spends over half the chapter grappling with this.

• Verses 4-5 highlight how some people barely acknowledge God, yet they seem to thrive in all they do.

• Verse 6 speaks of their audacity to cheat, manipulate, and still succeed without consequence.

• Verse 13 sums it up perfectly:

  “Why do the wicked get away with despising God?They think, ‘God will never call us to account.’”

At first, lamenting over such realities can feel uncomfortably close to jealousy or comparison. I’ve often avoided it for fear of sounding envious or as though I expect life to always go my way—traits that are far from godly. But through reflection, I’ve realised something crucial: the basis of comparison is wrong.

I live by a different frequency, a different principle. It is no longer about my desires or my plans but about Christ living in me. Galatians 2:20 says:

“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

This verse reminds me that my wants and expectations must align with God’s perfect will.

So now, instead of lamenting unfairness, I turn to gratitude. I thank God for His mercy upon my life and pray for His justice to prevail for all who are oppressed. Psalm 10 challenges me to trust in God’s sovereignty and remember that His timing is perfect.

Even when it seems like the wicked prosper, I rest in the truth that God sees all, He knows all, and He will ultimately bring justice.