As part of our congregation’s journey through the Bible in 2008, we’ve encountered what might be called a “Psalm of Hate.” It’s Psalm 3: “Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.” It’s only the first of many. They are called Imprecatory Psalms. There are over twenty of them (depending upon the classification you use). They include Ps. 69 and 137-two of the harshest. What do we do with these?
Here are some thoughts from authors who have pondered this question (C. S. Lewis Reflections on the Psalms; J. Clinton McCann, Jr. A Theological Introduction to the Book of Psalms; Walter Brueggemann Spirituality of the Psalms; Mark D. Roberts No Holds Barred)
1. These Psalms have the power to re-sensitize our hearts which often become desensitized to evil, abuse, and injustice in the world. We so often simply come to accept that “that’s how things are.” These Psalms remind us what it’s like to experience indignation and shock once again at the sight of evil and injustice. The Jews cursed bitterly because they took right and wrong so seriously, and saw it as an affront to God (C. S. Lewis, 27-30). McCann notes: “In the face of monstrous evil, the worst possible response is to feel nothing. What must be felt is grief, rage, outrage. In their absence, evil becomes an acceptable commonplace” (119).
2. These Psalms provide a theological catharsis (McCann, 115). Anger is the legitimate response to victimization and must be expressed. Here, it is expressed to God and thereby submitted to God.
3. These Psalms enable a nonviolent response to abuse (McCann, 115). The angry and honest prayer removes the necessity to take revenge on the enemy.
4. In many cases, the enemy is opposed because the enemy opposes God (McCann, 115). The enemy is doing things that bring dishonor to God. It raises the conflict from personal to spiritual. These Psalms take our eyes off of how the attack has hurt us personally and force us to think about how the attack has hurt God.
5. Many of them are reminders to trust in God in the midst of attack.
6. We learn to be more honest with God. Roberts writes, “…God seeks us as we are. He wants relationship with the real you, not with some airbrushed image. Thus, if you feel even a twinge of hatred or anger or vindictiveness, or whatever emotion you’d prefer to hide, God wants to hear about it.” (Roberts, 99)
7. We pray in solidarity with victims of injustice. Roberts writes, “…as I’ve been praying through the Psalms, I’ve been led regularly to put myself in the shoes of victims of injustice and to pray in solidarity with them.” (Roberts, 99).
8. We experience the grace of the cross. Roberts writes, “As we ask God to punish those who have sinned against us, we realize that Christ took this punishment upon himself. Both our enemies and we ourselves find salvation only in Jesus Christ.” (Roberts, 107).
