Is It Biblical to Pray for Vengeance?

The last couple of wees we have been studying the Psalms in my Old Testament Survey class.  One type of psal we have looked at are "imprecatory psalms," or the psalms in which the author is praying for a God's curse on an enemy.

The subject of our latest discussion board is:

In view of the New Testament teaching of “loving our enemy/neighbor,” discuss the role of imprecatory prayers (psalms) for today?  Can we pray “against” people or things today?  Take a view and defend your position (with love!) and use scripture.  Discuss.

As promised, I am posting my responses here. (Feel free to comment, as it is a discussion question.)

Though I have spent several hours studying this matter, I am still undecided. I have read not only outside of this board, but all of the responses and discussions within it. I believe there are strong arguments both for and against these imprecatory prayers.

Aside from all of the thoughts and information described within the discussion board, I have found another source which has some interesting and important points to consider.

In his sermon, “A Christian Manifesto – A Study of Luke 6,” Alistair Begg challenges us to the agape love Christ commands in both Luke 6 and Matthew 5.  He describes agape love thus:

 “Agape is the ONLY form of love that is not drawn out of the attractiveness of the merit of the one we love.  Jesus is calling for a love of people that is in no way related to the lovability of those whom we are to love.  That is precisely how God in Christ loved us. It was a self-engendered love for those who were His enemies.

“Agape love is not blind to their offenses against us. We see them exactly as they are in all of their ugliness, in all of their spitefulness, in all of their cursing.

“Seeing all that, Jesus says, ‘I want you to love your enemies.’

“This love is intelligent. It is a love that is marked by comprehension and it is a love that is purposeful in its application.”

Further, Begg reminds us:

“This kind of love will not go unrewarded, but the essence of this kind of love is that it must never be the motive for practicing it… because it is an expression of the character of God, who is our Father and kids ought to be like their dads.

“Indeed it is completely incongruous, if not impossible, for those of us who declare ourselves to be the Father’s children not to manifest the mercy of a merciful God and not to display a love for our enemies which is akin to the approach of Jesus that when He was reviled, He did not revile in return, but committed His cause to Him who judges.”

Finally, he makes the point the Jews of the Old Testament had taken out of context Leviticus 19:18 (“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people but love your neighbor as yourself for I am the Lord.”).  “They took the phrase ‘one of your people’ and diminished it to define a group who they had to love and if it fell outside of that defined group, it was ok to curse them.”

And so, taken together, a complete picture emerges wherein we are to love as Christ loved us, not because we deserved it when we also were enemies of God, but rather because He loved us enough to suffer and die for us. We are to forgive because we are forgiven.

Yet also, we do see in holy writ examples of godly men praying imprecatory prayers, not only in the Old Testament, but in the New as well.  In addition to the many examples cited throughout this discussion board, we see a prime example in the final book, Revelation. In chapter 6 verses 10 and 11 we read, “¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” ^{11 ” (NKJV)}Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

These tribulation martyrs were not chastised for their cry to the throne for vengeance; rather, they were given a white robe and told to wait patiently until the time was right for God to carry out the retribution they desperately sought.

Consequently, I feel it necessary to conclude there are certainly occasions in which the Lord does not condemn imprecation. However, one must call upon the name and the power of God wisely and with great humility. It is wisdom to err on the side of love and forgiveness, for with the measure one uses to judge, one in turn will be judged.  Yet, let each man walk out his own salvation in fear and trembling.

Practical Examples from the Lives of Ezra and Nehemiah

Here is another of my assignments for school. The assignment was to draw from the lives of Ezra and Nehemiah two examples of lessons practical for us today.

I hope you enjoy it...

Both Ezra and Nehemiah offer us practical examples of wisdom for living.  Because both were dedicated in their love for the Living God, they each lived lives that can still serve as ideals for us today.  These models were bred out of lives which were lived each day in the light of the Lord. They were neither haphazard nor accidental, but rather they were habits which were formed in the lives of these men.

Ezra, for example had “devoted himself to studying, obeying, and teaching the Law,” and so “the hand of the Lord was upon him.” (Ezra 7:9-10)  What I find most important for today is that he not only studied and taught, he also obeyed.  In today’s culture, we tend to find those who study God’s Word and teach God’s Word, but all too often dismiss the obedience part by suggesting that we “live in a different time,” or “we are under grace.”

Also, Ezra clearly saw the sin of the people as SIN and mourned over their disobedience. He recognized their sin as “our” sin, acknowledging that we are one body and if one part of the body is sick, then the whole body is sick. He therefore confessed the sin corporately and sought corporate resolution (Ezra 9:6-13)  He sought the holiness of the whole of the body. (Ezra 10:2-4) Even in the New Testament we are instructed not to be unequally yoked with a non-believer. Would we have the courage to urge a brother or sister in Christ to not marry a non-believer?

Nehemiah was a man of prayer, who showed utmost confidence in God. Immediately upon hearing Jerusalem was in ruins, he prayed (Nehemiah 1:4-11).  Before answering Artaxerxes, he prayed (Neh 2:4-5).  He encouraged the people to put their faith in God. (Neh 4:14)

He was thoughtful and thorough before taking any action.  Before answering Artaxerxes he prayed rather than blurt a response. As one who tends to speak first and ask questions later, I take this as a personal exhortation. Also, before approaching the leaders of Jerusalem about rebuilding the wall, he toured the ruins and prayerfully considered a strategy. (Neh 2:11-16)

Finally, Nehemiah was a man of good character.  He did not cower in fear by going to the Holy Place when suggested by Shemaiach. (Neh 6:10-14) Because he was in the habit of prayer, he was able to say “I saw that God had not sent him, but he made this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.” Nehemiah further displayed his good character in that he worked with the men (Neh 5:16) and he was generous; he loaned to needy Jews without charging interest (Neh 5:10) and he fed 150 of his workers.(Neh 5:14)

Encouragement

How easy it is to get discouraged.

As a stay-at-home, home-schooling mother of 4 under 10, most everyday is struggle against discouragement and feelings of being over-whelmed. There are so many people and tasks which all seem to demand my attention every moment.  I feel exhausted before I have even begun the day.

Even as I write this, I wonder how to pull myself up out of the rut. How do I conquer this?

And then... in order to hide from the things that overwhelm, I take a break and check my facebook account. (Don't judge me :)

There, amidst the lovely pictures of all my friends, I see it. There are so many scripture postings and praise postings.  Encouragement.

There in my email box...daily devotionals I have signed up for and rarely get an opportunity to read until my inbox is overwhelmed with unread devotionals.  I read a few. Encouragement.

A few minutes spent in hearing the thoughts of others as they praise God and share beautiful scripture verses that encourage them, there I find encouragement also. 

Could this be what the Bible means when it tells us to encourage one another with psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs? Could this be what it meant that we are to encourage one another while it is yet today?

I believe it is. When we share praise with others, we rarely know how deep in impact we are having on those who are hearing.  And what is truly remarkable is that when we share something to encourage others, we in fact find encouragement ourselves. What a divine paradox!

Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you and praise You that You have equipped us with the ability to be Your hug to someone who needs You. Thank You Lord that You have given us the ability to form friendships and relationships. Help us Lord to find ways to encourage each other. Help us to "encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." Praise You, the author and perfector of our faith, the lifter of my head, and the encouragement of my heart! Amen

May the Lord Himself give you sweet and blessed encouragement today!