We keep hearing that America’s biggest problem is political—that the divide is about left versus right, Democrat versus conservative. But what if that is only the surface? What if the deeper issue is not first political, but spiritual? What if the real disconnect in America is a disconnect from truth itself—and ultimately from God?
Scripture gives us a sobering phrase in Psalm 9:17: “all the nations that forget God.” Psalm 9:17 is not just a warning for ancient people long ago. It is a reminder that when a people turn away from God, they do not simply lose religion—they lose their moral compass, their sense of truth, and their understanding of right and wrong.
Psalm 9 was written for worship, meant to be shared publicly under the direction of the chief musician, and it is traditionally attributed to David. Its opening lines call people to thank the Lord with their whole heart and to remember His wonderful works. Sources describing the psalm’s setting note that it was intended for communal worship and tied to a musical direction, even though the exact tune is unknown today. David presents praise as something sincere, wholehearted, and public—not shallow, private, or half-hearted.
That is why this issue goes deeper than party labels. A nation can argue endlessly about policies, elections, and ideology, yet still miss the core problem. As Matthew Henry, Presbyterian minister and author, observed in his commentary on Psalm 9, the true condition of both nations and individuals can be measured by one question: do they remember God, or do they forget Him? When a society forgets God, truth becomes negotiable, morality becomes personal preference, and people begin calling darkness light and light darkness.
So is America’s disconnect really about Democrat or conservative, left or right? In part, those battles reveal the symptoms. But the sickness is deeper. We are watching what happens when a culture slowly pushes God to the margins, treats His Word as optional, and builds truth around feelings, power, or convenience instead of Scripture. The result is confusion, division, pride, anger, and a growing inability to agree on what is true at all.
But Psalm 9 does not only warn—it also points the way back. It begins with wholehearted praise, remembrance, and trust in the Lord. Commentaries on the psalm emphasize that true praise must be sincere, that we should remember God’s past mercies, and that our joy should rest more in the Giver than in the gifts. Psalm 9:1 reminds us that God is a refuge for those who seek Him, and Matthew Henry, stresses that God does not forsake those who come to Him in faith.
Maybe the question America needs to ask is not simply, “Which side is right?” but “Have we forgotten God?” If truth is only found fully in Scripture, then no lasting healing will come by politics alone. Our greatest need is not better messaging, but repentance; not louder arguments, but a return to the Lord; not shallow religion, but hearts that truly know Him. A nation that forgets God will lose its way. But a people who remember Him, seek Him, and praise Him with their whole heart will find that He is still faithful, still true, and still able to restore what has been broken.
Minister A Francine Green I June 2026