Creator, Father, King #126

May they be like snails that dissolve into slime.

IMAGINE SINGING THIS AT your next worship service at church:

Break off their fangs, O God!

Smash the jaws of these lions, O LORD!

May they disappear like water into thirsty ground.

Make their weapons useless in their hands.

May they be like snails that dissolve into slime,

Like a stillborn child who will never see the sun.

God will sweep them away, both young and old,

Faster than a pot heats over burning thorns.

The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged.

They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.

Ooooohhh-kay, then.

Believe it or not, this is a section of Psalm 58, written by King David. Like most psalms, this was a song meant to be sung by Israelites gathered to worship.

Hmmm. These days, that’d be tough to insert between “Amazing Grace” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” while ushers pass the offering plates.

Psalm 58 is just one of many so-called imprecatory psalms—psalms that call down curses upon the wicked. They include harsh language that, at first glance, seems inconsistent with the Bible’s message to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).

So what are we to make of these unique contributions to the biblical canon?

What’s It Mean?

There are several important factors to remember when reading the “imprecatory psalms”:

• Above all else, the psalmists were passionate for God’s glory and his Kingdom.
• The psalmists’ adversaries were always terribly immoral enemies of God who were trying to subvert his ways and destroy his people.
• Even in their anger and passion, the psalmists never endorsed personal vendettas against the wicked. Rather, they asked God to uphold justice, save the righteous, and defend his holy name.

What does this mean for us today?

We must be careful with our prayers, attitudes, and actions. While it’s right to abhor evil (Romans 12:9; the September 28 devotion), seek justice, and want righteousness to prevail, we must never adopt a hateful attitude toward the lost.

Remember, judgment and vengeance belong to God (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19). Your job is to proclaim God’s truth in love while praying for his Spirit to bring repentance to unbelievers’ hearts (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Now What?

Don’t pray, “Dear Lord, please turn the people I don’t like into snails that dissolve into slime.”

Do pray, “Dear Lord, please give me the grace to show your love to those who fight against you and show unkindness to me.”

Did You Know?

Other examples of psalms featuring curses include Psalm 5; 10; 34; 59; 69; 94; 109; and 137.