Five for Fighting

Ok, so six days in I'm already behind one psalm. I'm going to attempt to make that one up in the next two days, but this psalm is full. I could write on so many different things. The first few verses are awesome. Verse three is such a great reminder of how to begin our days with God, Verse eight is an acknowledgment that God is our righteousness...on and on.

I want to look at a couple of the misinterpreted sections of this psalm, though. I'll be honest, I've heard messages at several times in my life about how when our enemies come at us it is ok to pray, like David, and imprecatory prayer. That means that we can pray a curse on those who do evil. I've always cringed at the thought and even had conversations with those who have taught this way only to be told that I only see the "loving side" of God and that I should begin to understand God's anger and hatred toward sin. I still would really feel unsettled that this isn't a prayer that God is pleased with or wants to hear from His children.

I love Spurgeon's direction on this as well as the other authors that he quotes as he moves through these sections. He says that David's prayers are not literal curses on his enemies, but more prophecy of what God does to the wicked. I mean the New Testament says that we should "love our enemies and do good to them who dispitefully use us..." so to say we should pray for their destruction really flies in the face of that attitude that we're supposed to have for people.

In such Psalms wherein he confesseth his sins, or requesteth thy pardon, or praiseth for former, or prayeth for future favours, in all these give me to raise my soul to as high a pitch as may be. But when I come to such Psalms wherein he curseth his enemies, O there let me bring my soul down to a lower note. For those words were made only to fit David's mouth. I have the like breath, but not the same spirit to pronounce them. Nor let me flatter myself, that it is lawful for me, with David, to curse thine enemies, lest my deceitful heart entitle mine enemies to be thine, and so what was religion in David, prove malice in me, whilst I act revenge under the pretense of piety. - Thomas Fuller, D.D.

I'll just leave that quote to stand for itself. This is a much more full understanding of these types of psalms.