A Psalm of Imprecation

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Psalm 35

There are certain portions of the Bible that cause problems for some people.  And perhaps no other portion of the book of Psalms is more hotly contested than the Imprecatory Psalms.  

The word “Imprecation” literally means “curse”.  So, in these Imprecatory Psalms the Psalmist calls for curses and judgements against the enemies of God.  And some have found this to be antithetical to the message of Christ in the N.T.  For example:

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust”—Matthew 5:44-45

 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. —Luke 23:34

Now contrast the words of Christ with the word of God in Psalm 35:4-8

Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away…And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction!

As we live in the tension between the words of Christ to “love your enemies” in the New Testament and the word of God in the O.T. for God’s enemies to have “destruction come upon him when he does not know it” therefore, may we learn how to use the Imprecatory Psalms in our own relationship with God and the world around us!

As we consider Psalm 35, it is important to keep several principles in mind before we seek to interpret and make application of this great passage of Scripture!

1. Seeking a Balanced Approach
   1. Be careful with trying to relieve the tension between the Word of Christ in the N.T. and the Word of God in the O.T. by saying that the God of the OT is a God of Wrath and Judgment and the God of the NT is a God of Mercy and Grace.  If you are not careful you will give the impression that there are 2 Gods and not 1 God revealed in 3 persons.
   2. David was not personally vindictive in his Imprecatory Prayers.  In fact, David was one of the most forgiving men in the entire O.T.—Note David’s relationship to Saul after the latter tried to murder David many times—I Samuel 24:9-10
   3. David claims to be completely innocent from any wrong doing against these enemies—Notice 3 mentions of “without cause” in verses 7 and 19.  In other words, David is falsely accused of something he did not do. 
   4. Although it may seem the tone and message of the N.T. is different than that of the O.T. they are actually far more similar than we realize.  (Rev. 18:20, Rev. 19:3). As far as Jesus himself is concerned, we must remember that the One who said, “Father, forgive them,” also pronounced a terrible catalogue of woes upon the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, recorded in Matthew 23.
   5. Remember that David is not writing as a mere private citizen but rather as the Chief Justice of Israel—
   6. As private citizens in God’s kingdom we are to earnestly pray for God’s justice to be manifested here on the Earth.  Imprecatory Psalms help us do that.
   7. Always remember our own sin and hypocrisy.

How can Christians in contemporary churches pray Imprecatory Prayers? 

A supernatural balance occurs in our lives when we know God in His holiness and divine justice but also know our own sin nature.  On one hand we earnestly desire God to defeat evil in the world and on the other hand we are aware of our own worldly sinfulness and are humbled by God’s grace to us—only then, can we, like David have this supernatural balance and pray Imprecatory Prayers against the enemies of God! 

2. Two-Fold Profound Imagery:  In verses 1-3, David introduces 2 profound images for what he needed God to be on his behalf, namely a Champion and Advocate.  The opening line conjures images of a courtroom “Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me” and David asks God to be his defense attorney.  Then in the words “fight against those who fight against me!”  David asks God to be his champion on the battlefield.  These 2 images are then developed in greater detail as we move through the remainder of the Psalm.  
   1. A Champion on the Battlefield in Verses 4-10—David cries out to his Champion!
      1. Poetic Justice—
      2. The Angel of the Lord—Notice verses 5-6.  Who is this “angel of the Lord?”—In the O.T. we have “2 Yahweh Figures” one visible and the other invisible.
         1. 3 angels appeared to Abraham but 1 of them is referred to as “the Lord”.  See Genesis 18:1-3.
         2. The Commander of the Lord’s Army in Joshua 5:13-15
         3. The Angel of the Lord is Christ Himself.  Do you believe the words of Colossians 2:12-15?   
   2. An Advocate in the Courtroom in Verses 11-18—David Cries out to the Lord to be his Advocate!  
      1. Perhaps the worst kind of betrayal is by those whom you tried to help.
      2. When we are returned evil for good—A knife in the back!
      3. When we suffer defeat in something it’s one thing but when you have people standing over you mocking you for failing it makes the wounds doubly harmful—The Word “rejoice” appears in verses 19, 25 and 26!
      4. When we experience this kind of oppression we must cry out to our Advocate! —I John 2:1
      5. Application:  Cry out to Christ your Advocate when you have sinned and when you have not sinned and are being falsely accused.

Here are several takeaways from our study:

1. Beware of being personally vindictive in your prayers.  David was the Chief Justice of Israel and not merely a common citizen. —David was being persecuted “without cause”.
2. Make sure you pray for justice to be shown for other people.  I am always amazed at how people are blaze’ about justice until it hits close to home.
3. Do not take matters into your own hands.  Remember that vengeance belongs to the Lord…not you.  “It is mine to avenge; I will repay” (Deut. 32:35). The apostle Paul quotes this verse in Romans with this application: “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.
4. Remember that even the vilest sinners are not beyond God’s grace.  If the early Church would have prayed Imprecatory Prayers against Saul of Tarsus then we wouldn’t have ½ of the N.T. and the church’s greatest missionary!
5. We can always apply prayers of Imprecation against Satan and his dark emissaries.  He is our great foe, “a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8) and a slanderous “accuser of our brothers” (Rev. 12:10). We are like helpless sheep before this powerful enemy. But, thank God, we have a powerful champion and advocate in King Jesus.
6. Jesus Christ Himself quotes from Psalm 35:17 in John 15:25— ^“But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.”  In this passage, Jesus warns his disciples that the world will hate them just like it hated him and that the hatred they would experience would be without cause.  When David prayed for deliverance from his hateful enemies, Jesus succumbed to that hatred at the Cross.  And David curses those who hated him because they violated a treaty.  Christ comes bearing the curse of sin on His own self and authors a New Treaty, a New Covenant in His own blood.