IMPRECATORY PSALMS - The psalms that pray for punishment or a curse on the enemies of God are often called imprecatory psalms. There are imprecatory prayers in other books of the Bible as well. Several of the imprecatory psalms are quoted in the New Testament and includes examples of imprecation. They testify to a burning zeal for the cause of righteousness which flamed in the hearts of some of the psalmists, and to their refusal to condone sin. They are a call for justice, for protection for God’s people and the work He was doing in the world, for the automatic consequences of sin to not be delayed. They can even look beyond this life to the time of judgment when unrepentant sinners — the enemies of God — will be punished in the lake of fire — the second death. They express a passion for the will of God to prevail. Several of the psalms are shocking in their brutal calls for punishment and curses on enemies. Most of the imprecatory psalms are not as startling as the one quoted at the beginning of this article. They are a call for justice, for protection for God’s people and the work He was doing in the world, for the automatic consequences of sin to not be delayed. They can even look beyond this life to the time of judgment when unrepentant sinners — the enemies of God — will be punished in the lake of fire — the second death. God wants us to be open and honest with Him — to share our deepest feelings.

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Imprecatory Psalms

What Can We Learn From Prayers for Revenge?

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The psalms that pray for punishment or a curse on the enemies of God are often called imprecatory psalms. There are imprecatory prayers in other books of the Bible as well. Several of the imprecatory psalms are quoted in the New Testament and includes examples of imprecation. They testify to a burning zeal for the cause of righteousness which flamed in the hearts of some of the psalmists, and to their refusal to condone sin. They are a call for justice, for protection for God’s people and the work He was doing in the world, for the automatic consequences of sin to not be delayed. They can even look beyond this life to the time of judgment when unrepentant sinners — the enemies of God — will be punished in the lake of fire — the second death. They express a passion for the will of God to prevail.

by Mike Bennett

Several of the psalms are shocking in their brutal calls for punishment and curses on enemies.

Why are these imprecatory psalms in the Bible?

Imprecatory Psalms: What Can We Learn From Prayers for Revenge?

Did the Bible just say that? It would be shocking anywhere, but in the Bible?

“Happy the one who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock” - (Psalm 137:9).

How could a person of God even think that, let alone pray it to God? And then record it?

Why would God allow it to be in the Bible?

Imprecatory psalms

The psalms that pray for punishment or a curse on the enemies of God are often called imprecatory psalms, and they have troubled many Bible readers over the centuries.

Lists of such psalms vary, with some including 10 or 14 psalms.

Combining several of the lists, here are 17 that some have categorized as imprecatory: Psalms 5, 7, 10, 17, 35, 55, 58, 59, 69, 70, 79, 83, 109, 129, 137, 139 and 140.

There are imprecatory prayers in other books of the Bible as well, such as in Jeremiah 11, 15, 18 and 20.

And several of the imprecatory psalms are quoted in the New Testament, in John 2:17; 15:25; Romans 11:9-10; and 15:3.

In addition, the New Testament includes examples of imprecation, such as Matthew 21:18-19; 23:13-36; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; and 1 Timothy 1:20.

The New Bible Dictionary summarizes the purpose of the imprecatory psalms this way: “They testify to a burning zeal for the cause of righteousness which flamed in the hearts of some of the psalmists, and to their refusal to condone sin” (1982, p. 995).

Most of the imprecatory psalms are not as startling as the one quoted at the beginning of this article.

They are a call for justice, for protection for God’s people and the work He was doing in the world, for the automatic consequences of sin to not be delayed.

They can even look beyond this life to the time of judgment when unrepentant sinners — the enemies of God — will be punished in the lake of fire — the second death (Psalm 69:28).

They express a passion for the will of God to prevail.

Let’s look deeper into the background of these emotional prayers and what we can learn from them.

The context

It seems the author of Psalm 137 had witnessed the brutal Babylonian siege and destruction of God’s beloved city Jerusalem.

He saw the Babylonians starve and murder innocent women and children, then audaciously pillage and burn God’s holy temple.

It was all too much for him to humanly bear.

“The psalmist prays that the Lord will bring on Babylon’s head the atrocities they had committed in Judah and elsewhere. Wars were very cruel in the [Old Testament], and the Babylonians were famed for their cruelties” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, 1994, note on Psalm 137:9).

Each of the imprecatory psalms has a backstory of pain and suffering, brutality and injustice, evil and unrighteousness.

God understands

The Bible teaches that God intends prayer to be sincere, heartfelt communication with Him.

It is not to be rote repetition or to use pious, sanctimonious language that is foreign to our everyday lives.

God wants us to be open and honest with Him — to share our deepest feelings.

So, He included a number of psalms that begin with raw emotion and end with assurance of faith.

For example, in Psalm 73, the psalmist admits his envy of the boastful (verse 3).

Trying to understand how the wicked could prosper “was too painful for me — until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end” (verses 16-17).

Prayer can help adjust our frame of mind.

We can pour out our hearts and prepare ourselves for receiving God’s answers through studying and meditating on His Bible.

God wants us to know that He, too, is deeply concerned about justice — about defending what is right against the enemies of God.

God is a God of justice, and the imprecatory psalms may be read as pleas for justice.

God many times reveals that He is angry at the wicked, whose sins hurt other potential children of God — and themselves!

He wants us to hate evil (Amos 5:15).

Of course, God’s justice is perfect justice, and His anger is always righteous anger.

He alone can punish perfectly and appropriately.

He alone can give life, so He alone has the prerogative to take life. When He does, it is the right and merciful thing to do.

God wants us to grow toward perfection in seeking justice and showing righteous anger, but we often start with a desire for selfish justice and an unrighteous anger.

He understands and hears us — and then steers us toward the godly approach.

Studying the imprecatory psalms along with the rest of the Bible can help us see this.

Brutality not condoned in the Bible

The apostle Paul lists hatred, contentions, outbursts of wrath and murders as works of the flesh that will keep someone out of the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

He identifies brutality as a sign of the perilous last days (2 Timothy 3:1-3).

God does not condone human vengeance, but instead tells us:

 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:14).

“Repay no one evil for evil” (verse 17).

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (verse 18).

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, … for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (verse 19, quoted from Deuteronomy 32:35).

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (verse 21).

Jesus taught similarly difficult human relations principles in His famous Sermon on the Mount: 

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (verse 9).

“But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (verse 39).

“Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (verse 44).

How wrath is removed

So what makes it possible for our perfectly just God who hates sin to release His wrath?

Jesus Christ willingly suffered the greatest injustice in the universe in order to cover all other injustices — all human sins that would be repented of.

The curses of the imprecatory psalms are a result of the sins of this age. But a day is coming when there will “be no more curse” (Revelation 22:3).

That kind of selfless love is beyond our human comprehension!

Mercy triumphs

During His excruciating crucifixion, Jesus went so far as to say, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). 

Beyond that, His sacrifice makes our repentance and forgiveness possible: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12).

Of course, there are lessons God wants us to learn about showing justice and mercy.

We are to prize both: “I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O LORD, I will sing praises” (Psalm 101:1).

James wrote, “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.”

In the end, though, “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).

The curses of the imprecatory psalms are a result of the sins of this age.

But a day is coming when there will “be no more curse” (Revelation 22:3).

The end of the story brings us to a day when love and mercy will triumph, to a new heaven and new earth with “no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4) in which only righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13).

Behind the imprecatory psalms are stories of sin and suffering, pain and persecution, inhumanity and unrighteousness.

These stories can help us pray even more fervently for that wonderful promised day!

Mike Bennett is editorial content manager for the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in the Dallas, Texas, area. He coordinates the Life, Hope & Truth website, Discern magazine and the Life, Hope & Truth Weekly Newsletter. He is also part of the Personal Correspondence team of ministers who answer questions sent to Life, Hope & Truth.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/holy-bible/old-testament/the-writings/the-book-of-psalms/imprecatory-psalms/

 

WARS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT - When the walls of Jericho came tumbling down the Israelites “destroyed with the sword every living thing in it – men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, and donkeys.” This certainly seems brutal and vindictive, doesn’t it? All these descriptions of God depict him as unwavering in retribution on evil, though he takes no delight in it, and also unwavering in love and encouragement toward those hearts are turned toward him. God’s desire is that sinners should repent and live. But there comes a point where evil is finally intolerable and wiped from off the earth. We must see these terrible retributions in their historical setting. The spread of wickedness was so pervasive that immorality, degradation, and barbarity invaded every facet of life. Children were sacrificed to pagan gods. Male and female prostitution took place right in the temple as part of the religious rites. Idol worship was rife and the society wholly contaminated. This evil was contagious and God’s people were in danger of being infected as well. God’s awesome judgement was finally unleashed. Today we have lost that black and white distinction between good and evil. Tolerance is presented as the great religious value.

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Wars In The Old 
Testament

WHY SO MUCH WAR IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?

Biblica, the International Bible Society

In the Old Testament there is so much war and violence sanctioned by Yahweh.

Is this the same loving God portrayed in the New Testament?

Let’s take this seriously by quoting a few verses that seem repugnant to us.

For example, Deuteronomy 20 contains Yahweh’s instructions about war.

If a city does not accept Israel’s offer of peace and open its gates, then “when the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it” (verse 13).

With regard to other cities, the command is, “Do not leave anything that breathes.” (verse 16)

You probably also recall that the walls of Jericho came tumbling down, and then the Israelites “destroyed with the sword every living thing in it – men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, and donkeys” (Joshua 6:21).

This certainly seems brutal and vindictive, doesn’t it?

Or consider Joshua 11:20, “For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.”

From our twenty-first century point of view, we ask, “What good was accomplished by all this annihilation?”

Yet there is clearly another side to Yahweh as well.

While the prophet Ezekiel does not spare the wicked in his denunciations, he also records Yahweh’s words of grace: “If a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die”. . .  “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” (Ezekiel 18:21, 23).

And he goes on in verse 32, “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”

And there is this compelling verse recorded in 2 Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

All these descriptions of God depict him as unwavering in retribution on evil, though he takes no delight in it, and also unwavering in love and encouragement toward those hearts are turned toward him.

God’s obvious desire is that sinners should repent and live. But there comes a point where evil is finally intolerable and wiped from off the earth.

We must see these terrible retributions in their historical setting.

The spread of wickedness was so pervasive that immorality, degradation, and barbarity invaded every facet of life.

Children were sacrificed to pagan gods. Male and female prostitution took place right in the temple as part of the religious rites.

Idol worship was rife and the society wholly contaminated.

This evil was contagious and God’s people were in danger of being infected as well. God’s awesome judgement was finally unleashed.

Today we have lost that black and white distinction between good and evil. Tolerance is presented as the great religious value.

Indeed, tolerance of diversity is a high Christian value, but often today tolerance is taken to mean the virtue of accepting nearly every behavior under the sun.

Anything goes – in the name of tolerance! A sweeping moral relativism is the result, and children grow up with fewer and fewer moral absolutes to guide them.

We seldom hear the term sin anymore, but instead a dozen much milder words are employed. Surely the Lord will not tolerate this abomination to his holiness forever.

Nor do we like to accept the fact that when evil spreads, the innocent as well as the guilty are hurt.

When the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the city died, both the innocent and the guilty.

A few days later, as a direct result, the war came to an end. It was a terrible end, but it was the end, and greater carnage was avoided.

Let’s be clear about this stricter and more communal view of justice in the Bible.

The Canaanite pagan communities would surely intermarry with the Israelites, and God’s people were in danger of succumbing to their sexual perversions and religious degradation.

Finally, the danger became just too much.

The entire Bible from beginning to end never deviates from this standard of justice as well as grace.

Jesus is crystal clear about the punishment of evildoers, for on the day of judgement God will say to the evildoers, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

Our society does not much care to hear about pain and punishment, and prefers the meek and mild Jesus of some contemporary writers.

But the God of the New Testament is the changeless God of the ages. And in that affirmation lies our only hope.

Clearly, we have all missed the mark. Each of us stumbles, and wounds, and sins. Even the most godly affirm that over and over.

In God’s enduring justice, he never simply blinks casually at sin.

But that is not the end of the story, nor even the overriding theme of the Bible.

For as humanity spirals deeper into self-gratification, God intervenes.

Indeed, the Old Testament is a record of God’s intervening in the human situation with a new promise of hope.

The New Testament is the record of grace applied to people lost in sin and rebellion.

There was no compulsion placed on God to undertake this rescue operation. But the plan was and is indescribably marvelous. God did not forget about guilt and justice.

Rather, Jesus Christ, the God-man, took on himself the punishment and so satisfied the grisly sentence. This is what Christians call grace.

The Bible is mainly a record of grace, set against a backdrop of horror and misery.

This is an ageless and eternal story, persisting into this new millennium.

The evil surrounding us seems to be growing and moral apathy seeps in everywhere. But still God’s grace shines through. His love persists.

He calls and calls until the very last moment. Have you discovered his grace? It’s there – available for you to live in every day.

Biblica, the International Bible Society, is a worldwide ministry that has been helping people engage with God’s Word for over 200 years. We are committed to bringing the Bible to people in a way they understand, so they can be transformed by Christ and inspired to join His mission for the world.

https://www.biblica.com/resources/bible-faqs/why-so-much-war-in-the-old-testament/