How should we react to the death of evil people?

TL;DR:

When evil dies, don’t gloat—pray, grieve, and trust God. Trust Him to handle judgment while your heart reflects His mercy.

When an evil person dies, Scripture calls us to respond with mercy, not gloating. God desires repentance for the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23; 2 Peter 3:9), and our role is to reflect His heart—praying for those still alive, seeking justice through Him alone (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19), and showing love even toward enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 23:34).

The judgment seat is a tempting place to sit, and the natural instinct is to wish destruction upon the wicked, as Jonah did to the Assyrians God told Him to warn. But Scripture reveals that as an ungodly response. The Bible shows that God is merciful and gracious and does not wish for the wicked to perish but instead for them to repent (Jonah 4:1-11; Ezekiel 18:23; 2 Peter 3:9).

The Bible also teaches that vengeance belongs to God, not us (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19). Although prayers for the dead are fruitless, we can still pray: for those who are close to the evil person who died and those negatively impacted by him or her (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Regardless of how the world reacts to an evil person’s death (Proverbs 11:10), we are accountable to God who notices our response (Proverbs 24:17-18). Instead of living in hatred toward the wicked, we should be striving to love others just as Jesus exemplified for us (Matthew 5:44; Luke 23:34).

from the old testament

The Lord says, "Vengeance is mine" (Deuteronomy 32:35). We can thank God when someone’s wicked actions have come to an end, but we shouldn't gloat over the death of any human being.
Proverbs 11:10 says, “When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.” This verse is descriptive, not a instructive.
Proverbs 24:17-18, though, does instruct us how to react: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.” While this verse speaks of someone who is still living. it reveals the principle that we are not to rejoice at another’s downfall.
God makes it clear in Ezekiel 18:23 that He is not pleased when a wicked person dies, but rather desires for them to “turn from their ways and live.’” Believers should emulate His example and pray that the wicked repent before they die and it is too late.
The title figure in the book of Jonah is an example of an attitude believers shouldn't emulate. Jonah became angry over God’s mercy in sparing the Ninevites (Jonah 4:1-11). God’s response to Jonah reveals His heart for the lost: “And the Lord said, . . . 'should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?’" (Jonah 4:11).

from the new testament

Believers can express gratitude when evil ends, and we can rejoice at God's justice. But we should never wish someone to suffer in hell by gloating when an evil person dies. Jesus told us to "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). Praying for the dead is useless, so we should pray for our enemies to repent while they're still living.
Jesus' attitude toward His abusers in Luke 23:34 should be ours, too: "’Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’” Believers should always choose forgiveness over bitterness.
Paul wrote to Timothy, ". . . I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, . . . This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Praying for those connected to the evil person who died pleases God.
God does not wish for unbelievers to die in their wickedness (2 Peter 3:9). He knows the eternal fate of those who do not believe in Him and loves His creation, desiring for them to come to repentance rather than be eternally condemned. We should strive to imitate that.

implications for today

"Good riddance!" "He got what he deserved!" These are some thoughts we might have when an evil person dies. We might be tempted to sign into our social media accounts to gloat with the rest of the world.

And if we did that, we would be missing a major truth: As believers, we aren't getting what we deserve. Instead, God sent His Son to die for us. So our sins are covered in His righteousness. He loved us enough to do that.

We are to reflect God's heart in our reaction to the death of evil people. We should be grateful for the end of evil actions, but we should not rejoice in an evil person's death and destruction. We can, however, pray for the evil people that are still living—- that they come to know Christ and repent (2 Peter 3:9). We can also pray for physical or emotional healing for ourselves and others who have undergone trauma or hurt as a result of the wicked person’s actions.

Believers should always remember that God alone has the authority and the right to deliver justice; our role is to react to such situations with the love of Christ.

understand

It is not godly to gloat over an evil person’s death. God desires for even the most evil people to come to repentance, and we should, too.
Our mission is to love God and others, and we can do this by loving those connected the person through praying for their healing and repentance.
Thankfulness about the end of wicked actions is fine, but that doesn't mean we should rejoice in a soul’s destruction.

reflect

How do you process your emotions when someone who has caused harm passes away, and how can God’s mercy shape that response?
In what ways do you struggle to trust God to deliver justice in our world today?
How do you pray regularly for unrepentant sinners in your sphere?

engage

How can believers emulate Christ's model in the way we react to those who oppose us?
How can believers cultivate a heart that mirrors God’s desire for repentance rather than personal satisfaction when evil ends?
In what ways can believers' reactions to the death of an evil person be a powerful evangelism tool?