The Profound and Future Laughter of the Righteous
It’s well – known that the wicked often insult and mock the righteous. When believers teach that Jesus is the only Savior for sinners or urge the wicked to repent of their evil actions and place their hope in Christ, they may draw the anger of the unrighteous. Similarly, when believers uphold the goodness of God’s commands regarding life, marriage, sexuality, children, dignity, and integrity, they can stir up the wrath of evildoers.
The authors of the Bible were aware of this reality, so we shouldn’t be taken aback when such things occur. Wicked people prefer the darkness, so they look down on those who follow the light.
However, this scorn from the wicked is only temporary. The biblical authors had a long – term perspective and revealed what the future holds. Our mourning will turn into dancing, our sorrow into joy, and our lament into laughter. This isn’t just a fleeting or trivial kind of laughter; it’s a profound, enduring, and deeply satisfying laughter.
A Sobering Warning of Judgment
Proverbs 29:2 states, “When the wicked rule, the people groan.” This groaning is quite understandable. When the wicked are in positions of power, life becomes arduous. God’s ways are disregarded, sinful behaviors are embraced, and God’s people are opposed. When the wicked rule, people suffer, the vulnerable are oppressed, the poor are exploited, and the defenseless are neglected. Foolishness prevails, and instead of experiencing blessings, people endure misery.
When the wicked are in power, life feels like a curse rather than a blessing. But their reign is short – lived. Even though the wicked may seem entrenched and unbeatable, God will bring them down. Sometimes, we’re fortunate enough to witness this in our lifetime. Other times, we must remember that the final judgment will set everything right. The Bible warns the wicked that their plans are doomed to fail, and judgment is inevitable.
In Psalm 52:5, David tells the wicked, “God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.” The imagery here is striking, isn’t it? It conveys a sense of suddenness and finality.
If people groan under the rule of the wicked, how will they react when the wicked are removed from power? Specifically, how will the righteous respond when the wicked face the final judgment?
The Laughter of Relief and Joy
The righteous will praise God’s justice and rejoice in his righteous judgment. David says, “The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, ‘See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!’” (Ps. 52:6–7).
We shouldn’t think of this laughter as some kind of malicious or perverse glee. It’s not a misplaced delight in violence or an expression of hatred. Instead, this laughter is a sign of overwhelming relief and a celebration of being vindicated. It’s like the satisfying plot twist in a movie or a book, where the evil plans are foiled, and the oppressed person experiences a surge of happiness and strength.
This laughter is holy and righteous. It’s entirely appropriate. Revelation 19 reflects a similar response: When the new Babylon (representing the corrupt world system) falls, the multitude in heaven shout, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants” (vv. 1–2). They then cry out, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever” (v. 3).
The laughter in Psalm 52:6 is a form of “hallelujah” – an exaltation of God’s righteousness and a celebration of his acts of vengeance. It comes from the comfort of knowing that the wicked will no longer be able to rise up against God’s people, and it acknowledges that the long – awaited day of perfect justice has finally arrived.
Joining in God’s Laughter
We should also remember that God himself laughs. In Psalm 2, the nations plot fruitlessly against Yahweh and the Messiah (vv. 1–3). How does God respond to these earthly schemes? “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision” (v. 4). In Psalm 2, the Lord laughs at the futility of the wicked’s plans, and in Psalm 52, the righteous laugh at the downfall of the wicked.
A divine reversal is on the way. Jesus himself said:
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.” (Luke 6:21–23)
Jesus’s promise will come to pass. We will laugh and leap for joy. Our joy will be complete and everlasting. Evil will be defeated, justice will prevail, and God’s kingdom will be ours for all eternity.
Because of the wicked’s words and actions, the righteous will face unjust hardships and suffering. But look up and listen closely. Can you hear it? The Lord in heaven laughs at the foolish plans of humanity. We may not be laughing yet, but soon enough, we’ll join in.
