Psalm 35 Continued…
I want to address the tension that arises with the imprecatory Psalms. Curses against David’s enemies do and ought to arouse a spirit of resistance inside of us, mainly because Jesus has said that we should pray for our enemies, even love them (Matthew 5:43-48). If cursing our enemies provokes a reaction in our minds, loving our enemies elicits a certain kind of resistance as well, since that is so contrary to our sinful nature. How can we possibly love our enemies?
Jesus interpreted the curses of the Psalms (35:19; 69:4) to have been fulfilled in his own suffering (John 15:25; see also Romans 15:3). But nowhere in the Gospels does Jesus speak a curse against his enemies. He not only told us a new way to treat our enemies, he lived it out. That is most obviously expressed in his words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
So, we need to understand the distinction between interpersonal relationships, where we are to love our enemies and turn the other cheek, etc., and the behavior of those responsible for carrying out justice in society. The Sermon on the Mount is talking about how we should live as Kingdom People, not about how society should function or how governments should deal with crime. Governments cannot “turn the other cheek” and let crime go unchecked.
With that understanding, we recognize that God’s actions are those of the one who is responsible for carrying out justice. When God is carrying out justice, his interpersonal relationships are not at issue.
So, in that sense, asking God to enact justice, to wage battle against David’s enemies is not incompatible with Jesus’ words. We may not like to think of Yahweh as being violent, but keep in mind that it stands only in juxtaposition to the violence of those who opposed David. Remember, these “ruthless witnesses” (35:11) were accusing David of blood-violence, a crime deserving of death.
We tend to be a people who will return behavior in kind…because of our sinful nature. David was a flawed man. And even though he uttered curses on his enemies, God still viewed him as a man that pursued God’s heart.
At the end of the day, I believe treating an enemy with consideration and respect and even love, is easier to manage, but much harder to do than asking for God’s quick, swift justice to be enacted against them.
PRAY
Father, help me to forgive my enemies and to pray for them.