Imprecatory Psalms
“Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is the one who pays you back what you have done to us. Happy is he who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rocks.” Psalm 137:8-9
How does this passage from the 137th Psalm make you react? I know my first reactions include being repulsed or confused. This is an example of an imprecatory Psalm and a topic that I would like to explore when thinking of the judgment of God.
Imprecatory is the adjective form of imprecation which is defined as “a spoken curse”. So, essentially the imprecatory psalms include curses or prayers for punishment for the enemies of those who wrote the psalm. Examples of imprecatory psalms include Psalms 7, 35, 55, 58, 59, 69, 79, 109, 137, and 139. As you read through these psalms, you can sometimes see vivid imagery of those who are calling for God’s judgment.
So, how do we reconcile these psalms with other passages in the Bible, including Jesus telling us to love our enemies and bless those that persecute us? (Matt. 5:44). I think there are a few things to keep in mind about the imprecatory psalms.
They are a very small percentage of the psalms. In fact, most of the book of Psalms is language that is merciful and non-violent. In other words, this is not what is most commonly being mediated on and reflected in the heart of the psalmists.
These psalms were never written from a personal vengeance point of view but rather as a crying out to God for the people of Israel.
These psalms were never written from a position of power but rather when the people were being persecuted.
Keeping that in mind, we must understand that these psalms are crying out from a position of frustration and hurt at the evil being done to the people. In fact, the psalm that was included at the beginning of the article was most likely in response to seeing how the Babylonians treated the people of Judah during the siege and conquest. Think back to how Zedekiah attempted to escape; he was captured and had to witness the execution of his sons and then was blinded (2 Kings 25:7). This was just one small sample of the brutality and violence inflicted upon the Israelites, which would have also included the mistreatment of their women and children. Knowing this, the psalmist is crying out to God for justice. You see – the imprecatory psalms are appeals to the justice side of the equation when thinking about mercy and justice.
Even in the New Testament, we find imprecatory examples. Matthew 23 is a chapter full of “woes” against the scribes and Pharisees. In Galatians 5:12, Paul wishes that the Judaizing teachers troubling the Galatians would emasculate themselves. In Revelation 6:10, the martyrs cry out to the Lord to avenge their blood. There are other examples, but again, these are not a large percentage of the New Testament and are used in extraordinary circumstances.
Knowing all of this, how should we think about the imprecatory psalms and make personal application? Can or should we pray similar prayers? If so, in what cases?
First, we should always keep in mind that God is sovereign and balances justice and mercy in His time. God has promised to deal with sinful behavior and has given us His Son as a way to avoid the necessary judgment. Knowing that God will handle this judgment, we need to always keep in mind Romans 12:19 and know that it is not our place to take vengeance on anyone - God is the one who will deal out judgment. This doesn’t mean that we can’t call out sin for what it is and be passionate about the eradication and hope for the removal of evil. But it is not our job to take on the dissemination of justice. In fact, we should remember that as we judge, so shall we be judged (Matt. 7:2).
Secondly, there is a big difference in cursing our personal enemies and asking God to bring judgment to HIS enemies. We must keep in mind that these psalms should not be taken lightly and are in response to sinful behavior from enemies of God Himself. This can be a fine distinction, but a very important one. If you are feeling frustration and want to rain down curses upon someone – spend some time looking in your heart to understand if you are truly upset about sinful behavior because it is slight to God or because it was a personal affront to you.
Thirdly, we may need to pour out our heart to God in frustration over the sin and brokenness we see in the world around us. Rather than cursing others ourselves, we should turn to God and bring our sincere emotions and concerns to Him. Prayer can help us reframe our thinking and give pause when asking for judgment to come.
Finally, no matter what, calling down imprecations on someone should never be taken lightly. This should be constantly balanced with the hope and longing for all to come to Christ and be saved. However, as we read and learn from history, I am sure there have been times when Christians could rightly beg the Lord for the halting of heinous and horrific actions in any way He would choose. Interestingly though, so many times in history, martyrs who were in the midst of being personally persecuted, even unto death, have asked the Lord to forgive their persecutors, including Stephen and most importantly our Lord himself, Jesus. These examples can help us understand how to balance the request of mercy when being personally attacked with the request for justice for God’s total creation that is under attack. I honestly don’t know how to answer the question around if we can pray these kinds of psalms today, but what I can say is that you should always go to God with these kinds of feelings rather than venting them on others.
With all of this in mind – I pray, “Lord Jesus come, but please give the world time and opportunity to know you and turn to you first.”
