What do you guys thnk about the imprecatory Psalms

[Tyson]

Those are the Psalms where the Psalmists wanted biblegod to smite heathens and backstabbers and those who pissed him off. Of course some of us might remember the Psalm that calls for cracking the skulls of Babylonian children against rocks.

 

When I do a search, all I find are link after link from apologists reasoning them away. In one link I had to laugh when I read, "Today, Christians are called to a higher ethic..." I find it funny because apparently biblegod apparently could not convince his ancient people to live by a higher ethic, but Christians today can.

 

[webmdave]

The Reconstruction Churches use the imprecatory psalms as prayers against the wicked - the wicked being anyone who is not a "true" Christian.

 

Here is a quote from PARADISE RESTORED, A Biblical Theology of Dominion

by David Chilton, Dominion Press, Tyler, Texas, © 1st 1985 & 6th 1999

 

Jesus, in fact, had specifically commanded His people to pray for the Mountain of Israel to be cast into the sea (Matt. 21:21-22), and that is exactly (figuratively) what happened. This is an important lesson for the Church today. Our primary response to persecution and oppression must not be political. That is to put our trust in the State. The Church's primary response to persecution must be liturgical. We must pray about it, personally, in families, and in the organized, corporate worship of the Church, whose officers are divinely empowered to bring judgments. Of course, this means that the Church must return to the orthodox practice of singing and praying Imprecatory Psalms against God's enemies. (The "Imprecatory Psalms" are the Psalms which consist mainly of imprecations, or curses, against the wicked; a few of these are Psalms 35, 55, 59, 69, 79, 83, 94, 109, and 140). Church officers must pronounce sentence against oppressors, and Christians must follow this up by faithful prayers that the oppressors will either repent or be destroyed.

 

Don't believe it?

 

Here's the link: Chapter 24

[indoctrinated]

Those are the Psalms where the Psalmists wanted biblegod to smite heathens and backstabbers and those who pissed him off.  Of course some of us might remember the Psalm that calls for cracking the skulls of Babylonian children against rocks.

 

Yes, you are quite right. Most church lectionaries leave out those bits!

 

I actually find that psalm (137) less difficult to deal with than some of the others. Not that I advocate dashing brains out, you understand! Let me make it quite clear that I am against violence and revenge.

 

But I read it as a cry of pain by someone who has suffered the atrocities of war.

 

I interpret it as indicating that we need to listen to people's pain and not glibly tell them to forgive. This is a mistake that I have heard in sermons so many times. I think it is highly offensive and insensitive to say to people "You have to forgive because God told you to."

 

I do believe in general that forgiveness and reconciliation are desirable things. I think there are ways to preach about forgiveness which recognise the difficulties and do not tell people what they should or should not feel or do. But most of the sermons I've heard about it have been simplistic to say the least!

 

I don't feel anyone has the right to tell someone who has been hurt, whose pain they have not personally experienced, that they should forgive, or how long it should take for them to get over something.

 

That's my take on that psalm.

 

I find the "self-righteous" ones more difficult. The "I'm right and they're wrong, so reward me and punish them," ones.