Psalm 109: 6-13 (NIV)
Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy; let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him. May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership. May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes. May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children. May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.
WOW! How would you like to be the one David was talking about? As people of the New Covenant, these Imprecatory Psalms can be a little hard to swallow in light of the mercy, compassion, and forgiveness we find in Christ. That being said, God’s ever watchful eye and impending judgment are not to be trifled with. The Enduring Word commentary series on the Psalms places this one in the proper light:
“It is important to remember that these are prayers, committing vengeance unto God. With the greater revelation of grace and truth that came by Jesus Christ, we understand that we are to pray for the good of our enemies, and not their cursing. Yet, we remind ourselves that David refused to act upon these curses, instead leaving vengeance up to God. This is especially relevant regarding David, who knew what it was to take life with the sword. If David withheld vengeance, it was because he chose to, not because he lacked the opportunity, skill, or courage.”
Have you ever called down God’s curses on an enemy? Have you ever asked Him to “put someone in their place” or even “take them out”? Peter quoted today’s psalm in Acts 1 in his comments about Judas, and rightly so—he applied it to an evil man who was rightly condemned. But we must never view these imprecatory psalms as a license to pray for the destruction of our so-called enemies. God does not desire that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9) and we must follow His heart’s desire with our own. So, what do we do when people are hateful towards us, or scheme against us, or harm us deliberately in some way? How should we pray for the enemies of God’s work…if at all?
At the root of this Psalm is a heart that loves mercy. Where there is no mercy possible, we plead that God would show His vengeance, rather than plot our own. Where there is only pride and cruelty, we plead for God’s perfect justice to act, and act quickly. God will not save the proud, but He is deeply concerned about the humble and the needy. Toward the end of the Psalm, we should become self-conscious of the fact that WE are the poor and the needy in many ways. WE are in need of God’s blessings even as we are surrounded by the vile curses of wicked men and the dark forces of the Evil One. Others may be sadistic and cruel to the poor and the cast down, but God is looking to show mercy to those who see themselves in need of mercy.
James 2:13 ties in directly with this passage. “Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” All of the imprecations in this Psalm are directed towards the one who refuses to show mercy (v. 16). It is the merciful that obtain mercy. Ultimately, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who can identify which of our enemies and/or persecutors will be judged according to the James 2:13 principle. Certainly, we must be merciful ourselves, even under persecution. We may look at a particular persecutor in the eye and say, “God have mercy on your soul, that you may learn to show mercy yourself.” But we can also turn around and pray this imprecatory prayer: that God would bring judgment upon the merciless who live and die without mercy. Surely He will, and we should be able to find peace in that fact.
