March 2020 Oakridge Community Church Volume 13, Issue 6 THE OAKBRIDGE

Praying the Imprecatory ? From Pastor Seth

The most common question concerning the role and appropriate use of the Imprecatory Psalms tends to be whether or not it is right for believers in Christ to pray these prayers of imprecation. This debate is brought to the surface when we compare the Imprecatory Psalms with the commands of Christ. In Matthew 5:44, commands His followers, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Johannes G. Vos captured the essence of the difficulty very well in his article titled The Ethical Problem of the Imprecatory Psalms. He wrote, “Whether it is right for a Christian to use these Psalms in the worship of depends on whether it can be right to wish or pray for the destruc- tion or doom of others.” In light of Jesus’ command, in our consideration of whether or not it is right for Christ-followers to use the Imprecatory Psalms, we have to ask, “Are we loving our enemies when we are praying for God’s wrath to be poured out upon them?”

That is an imposing question that requires careful examination. In order to answer it, we need to begin by mak- ing sure that we understand what we are talking about when we speak of the Imprecatory Psalms.

What are the Imprecatory Psalms?

The verb “imprecate” means to invoke or call down upon a person. These “invocations” are always directed toward those identified as enemies of the one doing the imprecation. Thus, the Imprecatory Psalms are those Psalms which call for God’s judgment to fall upon the enemies of God’s people. Some Psalms, such as and , are considered “major” Imprecatory Psalms because the majority, if not the whole Psalm, is written for that purpose. Others can also be categorized as imprecatory Psalms because there are por- tions contained within them calling for God to pour out His indignation upon the ungodly.

Many of these Psalms use language that is very difficult for Christians to imagine praying against other people. is one example. Verses 6-10 say, “O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD! Let them vanish like water that runs away; when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted. Let them be like a snail that dissolves into slime, like the stillborn child who never sees the sun. Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns, whether green or ablaze, may he be swept away. The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.”

This obviously contains some pretty strong language conveying David’s (Spirit-wrought) desires for his enemies to be snuffed out under the wrath of God. Maybe the most striking element of this passage for Christians is that it ends with a reference to the joy the righteous will experience when the

wicked are swept away in God’s wrath. Inside This Issue provides another example. Verses 8-9 say, “O daughter of Baby- Pastor Seth’s Article ...... 1-2 lon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall be he who repays you with what Thank You ...... 3 you have done to us! Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and March Bible Reading ...... 4 dashes them against the rock!” March Calendar ...... 5 (Continued on page 2)

March Birthdays...... 6 Praying the Imprecatory Psalms? (continued from page 1)

Principles to Keep in Mind

For believers who understand their own indebtedness to God’s grace and mercy alone, praying this kind of pray- er against someone else can seem very out of place. However, it is important to keep a few things in mind when we read passages like these in the Psalms. When these desires were being expressed by the psalmists, (1) they were directed to God as the one in whose hand the right to deal out vengeance and judgment belongs (see :1-7). (2) These Psalms were prayed against those who had severely oppressed God’s people (Psalm 137:7, Psalm 109:16-20). (3) The imprecatory Psalms were prayed not merely against the enemies of , but against those who made themselves enemies of God. (4) They include redemptive desires for the wicked. As :16 says, “Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O LORD.” These are not prayers birthed from vindictive desires for personal retaliation (see David’s personal concern and dispo- sition toward his enemies in the imprecatory prayer of :11-16). They are merely prayers resulting from the Holy Spirit’s work of birthing in the hearts of His people desires that conform to the heart of God Himself (see Genesis 12:3, Exodus 5:22-6:8, :5-6, Zechariah 2:8).

The Abiding Relevance of the Imprecatory Psalms

Now, some do try to relegate the application of the Imprecatory Psalms to the Theocratic Nation of Israel during the Old Testament dispensation. Because of this, in their opinion, these Psalms have no relevance for the Church. But as Christians, we have to remember that the imprecatory Psalms are just as much God- breathed Scripture as the Gospel of John, or the book of Romans. They have not ceased to be God’s Word to His people, nor have they become unprofitable, simply because we live in the age of the New Covenant (see 2 Timothy 3:15-17). Therefore, as we seek to understand the role of the Imprecatory Psalms in the New Cove- nant era, we are not asking if they still apply to the life of the Church today, but rather, how do they apply.

Perhaps a helpful place to start is by considering the fact that in some ways, Christians are already praying imprecatory prayers, even when they may not realize it. Every time we pray the Lord’s prayer, or plead for the return of Christ, we are by default praying for judgment to come upon all of God’s enemies in this world. We see this described most clearly in Revelation 19-22. The Day of Christ’s return is described as the day in which He comes to judge and wage war against all unrighteousness on the earth (19:11). In His return, Jesus will “tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (19:15). And as Jesus makes clear in Matthew 13:41-42 the establishment of God’s kingdom in this world includes the promise that “all causes of sin and all law-breakers” will be gathered and “thrown . . . into the fiery furnace”. When we pray for His return and for God’s Kingdom to come in its fullness, we are also praying for the full manifestation of God’s righteous judgment against sinful humanity to be put on display. Johannes G. Vos wrote the following concerning the ap- plication of the Imprecatory Psalms to the Christian’s worship of God:

The Lord’s prayer . . . teaches us to pray, ‘Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.’ God’s kingdom cannot come without Satan’s kingdom being destroyed. God’s will cannot be done in earth without the destruction of evil. Evil cannot be destroyed without the destruction of men who are permanently identified with it. Instead of being influenced by the sickly sentimentalism of the present day, Christian people should realize that the glory of God demands the destruction of evil. . . Instead of being ashamed of the Impre- catory Psalms, and attempting to apologize for them and explain them away, Christian people should glory in them and not hesitate to use them in public and private exercises of the worship of God.

We will return to this again in future articles. May the Lord grant to us more light as we consider this topic more in the future.

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THANK YOU

I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD. 23:4

Oakridge Community Church gives many thanks to God for Dan Parker, and the many years of service and shepherd- ing he has given to this local body. We also thank God for Carolyn's faithfulness to and support of her husband as he served us through the years.

May the years ahead be filled with all the blessings of God in Christ.

We love you both.

The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92:12-15

3 MARCH BIBLE READING

M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Family Reading Personal Reading Date Book Chapter Book Chapter Book Chapter Book Chapter 1 Exodus 12:22-51 Luke 15 Job 30 1 Corinthians 16 2 Exodus 13 Luke 16 Job 31 2 Corinthians 1 3 Exodus 14 Luke 17 Job 32 2 Corinthians 2 4 Exodus 15 Luke 18 Job 33 2 Corinthians 3 5 Exodus 16 Luke 19 Job 34 2 Corinthians 4 6 Exodus 17 Luke 20 Job 35 2 Corinthians 5 7 Exodus 18 Luke 21 Job 36 2 Corinthians 6 8 Exodus 19 Luke 22 Job 37 2 Corinthians 7 9 Exodus 20 Luke 23 Job 38 2 Corinthians 8 10 Exodus 21 Luke 24 Job 39 2 Corinthians 9 11 Exodus 22 John 1 Job 40 2 Corinthians 10 12 Exodus 23 Job 41 2 Corinthians 11 13 Exodus 24 John 3 Job 42 2 Corinthians 12 14 Exodus 25 John 4 Proverbs 1 2 Corinthians 13 15 Exodus 26 John 5 Proverbs 2 Galatians 1 16 Exodus 27 John 6 Proverbs 3 Galatians 2 17 Exodus 28 John 7 Proverbs 4 Galatians 3 18 Exodus 29 John 8 Proverbs 5 Galatians 4 19 Exodus 30 John 9 Proverbs 6 Galatians 5 20 Exodus 31 John 10 Proverbs 7 Galatians 6 21 Exodus 32 John 11 Proverbs 8 Ephesians 1 22 Exodus 33 John 12 Proverbs 9 Ephesians 2 23 Exodus 34 John 13 Proverbs 10 Ephesians 3 24 Exodus 35 John 14 Proverbs 11 Ephesians 4 25 Exodus 36 John 15 Proverbs 12 Ephesians 5 26 Exodus 37 John 16 Proverbs 13 Ephesians 6 27 Exodus 38 John 17 Proverbs 14 Philippians 1 28 Exodus 39 John 18 Proverbs 15 Philippians 2 29 Exodus 40 John 19 Proverbs 16 Philippians 3 30 Leviticus 1 John 20 Proverbs 17 Philippians 4 31 Leviticus 2, 3 John 21 Proverbs 18 Colossians 1

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1 1 8 15 22 29 8:30 a.m. a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 10:20 p.m. 12:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 10:20 11:45a.m. 2:00p.m. p.m. 4:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 10:20 p.m. 12:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 10:20 p.m. 4:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 10:20 a.m. 11:45

MARCH BIRTHDAYS

March 3—Dan Parker March 4—Jonathan Leslie March 9—Victor Mancia March 25—Susan Mueller March 28—Vicki Patten March 31—Brielle Butler

Oakridge Community Church OCC Vision

610 County Road 5 The vision of Oakridge Community Church is to spread a joyful passion Stillwater, MN 55082 for the absolute, eternal supremacy of Jesus Christ in all things, to all peoples. www.oakridgecommunity.org

Email: [email protected] OCC Mission The mission of Oakridge Community Church is to glorify God by delighting in, declaring and displaying the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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