Imprecations

by P.J. Brennan, Cromer, England | Category: Meditations In The Psalms | Jun 1990

Please read Psalms 35:1-8; 58; 59; 69:22-28; 83:13-18; 109; 137:7-9;

139:21,22.

Imprecation is the calling down of a curse on a person, people or thing. Specifically, the word has been used of the above passages in the Psalms because they contain calls for the vengeance of God upon evil doers.

We urge the reader first to study the references given above and become familiar with those passages in the Psalms that have become known as "imprecatory". Our objective here is to understand the problem of finding such passages in the Psalms.

The Problem

The imprecations may sometimes appear shocking in themselves for the extremity of the language used, but are made all the more remarkable for their setting, appearing often as a sudden transition from humble devotion, and from the lips of such men as David and Asaph. But perhaps the greatest problem is that they appear to be so contrary to teaching in the New Testament, where, for example, the Lord Jesus says "bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you". Do we conclude then that the New Testament contradicts the old? Or that perhaps the writers of imprecations did so with no knowledge of the mind of God and therefore at total variance with Him?

We sound a cautionary note here in regard to our treatment of apparent

problems in Scripture. The difficulty is not with Scripture but with our lack of understanding. The meaning of Scripture is sometimes transparent, at other times hard to interpret, but Scripture: interprets Scripture and never contradicts itself. Understanding of its meaning is given by the Holy Spirit:

So in a spirit of meekness and reverential fear we approach this Word of our God, who is a consuming fire, and seek to discern His truth.

The Context

The context of any scripture must always be an important consideration in arriving at its meaning and application. It is important to understand first of all that these imprecations are not statements of mere vindictiveness. The extremity of the language, which is sometimes shocking in the visual pictures it creates, should direct us not so much to its literal fulfilment, but rather to consider the extreme case of suffering from which such a cry was voiced.

These are not the utterances of malignant selfishness, but are pleas for righteous judgement on unrighteousness. We have graphic descriptions of those on whom the imprecations are made - wicked, unjust, violent men of lies and curses, who have no compassion for the misery their own cruelty has caused. They not only persecute and torment the righteous and innocent but set themselves in evil confederacy against God (58:1-5; 59:7, 12; 69:26; 83:2,5; 109:2-5, 16-18; 137:7;

139:19-21). Unlike their own actions, which are without cause (35:7; 59:3,4), the imprecations call for the repayment of unrighteousness with righteous justice. The ungodly enemy stands accused and judgement is sought from the judge.

Neither are the imprecations to be seen as merely a cry for violence to be repaid with violence. There is a strong sense of vindication of right, a plea for the righting of wrong and for justice to be done. In the judgement of Cain the Lord said "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground" (Gen. 4:10). In Revelation 6:10 we hear the voice of martyrs crying for judgement to "avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth". We might view the imprecatory Psalms similarly as articulating the cry of "all the righteous blood shed on the earth" (Mat. 23:35).

It is worthy of note too that the probable writer of most of these imprecations was David, about whose character we know a great deal. It would have been quite uncharacteristic for him to be malicious or vindictive, his attitude being one of kindness and generosity even under persecution, rejection and personal attack (e.g. 1 Sam. 26:8,9). When actually stirred to anger by cruel and unscrupulous actions, his passion for justice must be regarded as genuine.

Imprecations and the New Testament

It will be readily acknowledged that such themes as justice, the vindication of right, and judgement on wrong doers, are not at variance with New Testament teaching. Furthermore, it would be quite wrong to assume the imprecations are exclusive to the Old Testament: In fact, the New Testament actually contains equivalents to the Old Testament imprecations. See for example Mark 11:14; Acts 5:9; 13:11; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Timothy 4:14; Revelation 2:5; 16, 22, 23; 3:3,16. Then again, the New Testament views certain imprecations in the Psalms as prophetic - Acts 1:20 (69:25; 109:8), Romans 11:9 (69:

22,23). It is not within the scope of this article to deal with these scriptures individually, but suffice it to make the following observations.

(i) The truth that God repays wrong-doing with punishment is not exclusive to Old Testament teaching. See for example Luke 18:1-8; 20:9-18. In quoting Deuteronomy 32:35,36 the writer to the Hebrews confirms the continuity of both Old and New Testaments in regard to the revelation of God as the One who will recompense evil with a wrath that is as just as it is terrible (Heb. 10:30,31). In a day that seriously underestimates the abhorrence that God has of evil, this is an important consideration. In his innate sinfulness, man often has a warped sense of true justice and seeks to exonerate and vindicate when the case calls for denunciation. Such a travesty of justice is obviously inconsistent with both Old and New Testaments, while the imprecatory Psalms are found to be actually consistent with the revelation of the character of God throughout His Word.

(ii) There is a coming day of fierce judgement on unrepentant man that has been unaffected by the cross of Christ and the present day of grace. There is a judgement stored up for those who take their place outside of God's mercy (Jude 5-15). It is a paradox that the coming of salvation has also brought judgement:

(iii) Far from lessening the impact of the imprecations in the Psalms, the New Testament speaks of a degree of punishment that is unparalleled. As D. Kidner points Out in the introduction to his commentary on the Psalms, a comparison of Psalm 6:8 with Matthew 7:23 reveals that the words "depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" are transformed from a cry for relief by David into a sentence of death by Christ: It is one thing to be driven off by David, but quite another to be banished by Christ to the everlasting condemnation with which many of the parables conclude.

Having confirmed the continuity of the New Testament with the Old perhaps one of the most important points to be made about imprecations is that at no point is personal vindictiveness the issue, nor malice, nor bitterness. Rather it is a passionate concern for the honour of God and His kingdom, the sceptre of which is the sceptre of equity (Ps. 45:6).

But there are differences. We don't stand on just the same ground as the psalmists. Between their day and ours there stands the cross of Christ: The cross, that "stands unchanged", has changed many things.

Changed by the unchanging Cross

While we see the continuity of both Old and New Testaments in regard to this matter of imprecations, we note two major points of emphasis found in the New Testament:

First, there is the question of repentance and deliverance from imprecation. Although this is hinted at in the Psalms (e.g. 83:16), it is emphasized in the New Testament: Imprecations that may appear implacable are shown to be conditional and it is clear that should any remain under the terrible wrath of God, it will be because of obdurate rebellion (Rom. 2:5; 2 Thes. 1:8).

The second point of emphasis we note from the New Testament concerns our attitude towards the guilty miscreant: It is difficult to find any stain of compassion or grace extended to the imprecated enemy in the Psalms, but note the change so powerfully emphasized in the New Testament: There is one supreme Example: "who when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously" (1 Pet 2:23). The word from the cross for the men of cruelty and violence was, "Father forgive them".

Such forgiveness could only be granted on the basis of repentance. Thus we judge that the imprecation was still there for those who remained unrepentant for crucifying the Lord of glory, but the attitude of the Man on the cross was different from that of the men in the Psalms.

A few further examples will have to suffice for this point. The Lord's imprecation in Matthew 23, (compare verse 38 with Psalm 69:25), was spoken from a heart breaking with grief as the greatest love ever expressed was rejected. Those guilty of such rejection were condemned to suffer the wrath of God, but the heart of the Son of God still yearned for them (Luke 19:41-44).

Then it is thrilling to note that the spirit of the Master in the disciple. Stephen's prayer for the guilty was as his Master's (Acts 7:60). For at least one of the guilty men that stood there that day, the prayer was answered, and he too exhibited the same compassion in later years. Having written of the wrath of God in the early chapters of Romans, Paul's, feelings for the guilty of Israel were such that he could say "I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren's sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Rom. 9:3). On another occasion he wrote concerning some who were enemies of the cross, and as he wrote it he wept (Phil. 3:18). What had changed? The seriousness of the crime? The awful extent of the punishment? No! The change was one of deep, heartfelt concern for the perishing, and it had been brought about by the constraining love of Christ.

So the imprecatory Psalms have a voice for us today. From a vision of "the dark places of the earth" which are full of violence", we hear the age long cry for justice. Assured that the injustices of men do not go unnoticed by our God to whom they are utterly abhorrent, we are assured too of a coming day when the righteous will be vindicated. Perhaps the greatest lesson for us is that as the imprecations of the Psalms translate into the coming day of judgement, we should put into effect the instruction of the Master. In accordance with His supreme example, we are to love and reach out to those who live as enemies of the cross. We should forgive them if they injure us and pray for them that they might be delivered out of the power of darkness and be translated into the kingdom of the One who died that we might never suffer the results of imprecation.

P.J. Brennan, Cromer, England | Jun 1990
Meditations In The Psalms