The Psalmist declares “Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33.12). Or in the words of The Message, a translation by Eugene Peterson, “Blessed is the country with God for God”.
God is the Lord over the nations (Psalm 33.10-12). Nations act out policies and plans that guide their participation in what we call history. As James Mays puts it in his commentary, “Their designs are the expression of their sense of identity, destiny and power”. Mays goes on to comment that the Psalmist “says that it belongs to the way of the Lord to frustrate the designs of nations who set out to make themselves the centre of the Lord and to order their people to their people to their design”. What is needed is a nation which serves the sovereignty of the Lord God.
What relevance does Psalm 33 have today? Although Christians now make up less than half of the population (about 46%), many identify as Christian for cultural or historical reasons rather than active faith. According to recent research, about 58% of Brits believe Christianity still offers practical and moral value to the UK, and 52% fear moral decline if its Christian roots are ignored. In another survey, 40% of the public said that laws should be based on Christian values and that religious education should prioritize Christianity over other faiths.
Sadly, not all our Prime Ministers have been committed Christians. In my lifetime there have been at least three Prime Ministers who have sought to base their policies upon Christian values: viz. Margaret Thatcher (4 May 1979 – 28 November 1990), Tony Blair (2 May 1997 – 27 June 2007) and Theresa May (13 July 2016 – 24 July 2019). By contrast Queen Elizabeth II was and King Charles III is Head of the Church of England. King Charles is keen to see Christian values expressed in public life. Both in the House of Lords and the House of Commons the business of the day is always preceded by a short Christian service. Furthermore, in the House of Lords there are 26 bishops, known as ‘the Lords Spiritual’.
At a time of moral decay, it is all the more important to have a government which truly cares for those who are finding life difficulty.
- For instance, Youth Disengagement. A major report by former minister Alan Milburn classified over 1 million young people (ages 16–24) in the UK as not in education, employment, or training (NEET). Observers characterize this as a “moral crisis,” pointing to systemic failures in providing adequate health, education, and job prospects for the next generation.
- Online Harms and Child Safeguarding: The government responded to the deterioration of digital spaces for youth with major consultations on a Social Media Ban for Under-16s. This debate centres on the moral implications of algorithmic targeting, technology-enabled abuse, and the protection of minors.
- Institutional Integrity: Trust in government, the police, and corporate entities remains a prominent topic, amid ongoing scrutiny over lobbying and political influence.
- Erosion of Public Honesty: Broader sociological research notes a concerning shift in public attitudes. While minor dishonesties have remained stable, disapproval for serious crimes such as buying stolen goods and falsifying benefit claims has noticeably declined over the last decade.
- Human Rights and the Law: Watchdogs like Amnesty International warn that the UK is participating in a “systemic breakdown” of international law and fundamental freedoms, pointing to aggressive AI surveillance, the criminalization of peaceful protests, and cuts to international aid.
As a nation we are blessed by the fact that most people want to express Christian values.