Note: this final blog post on Psalms is being sent early since our Galatians series begins next week.

Calling down a curse? hmmm...

Some Psalms can be referred to as "imprecatory," (meaning “to bring down a curse”) which means that the Psalmist is actually praying for God's judgment to come down on his enemies. Our live group and I discussed this recently. How do you reconcile what appear to be clear prayers for judgment with New Testament commands to "love our enemies?" Are there times when praying judgment or a curse on someone is acceptable?

This is a very difficult question. There isn't a simple answer, but here are a few points to consider as you read Psalms like this.

Remember context. The Bible must be interpreted in light of itself. You don't read a novel and pull out one paragraph to determine what the whole of the novel contains. Psalms are expressions of feelings and often a starting point for private prayer. While they often contain commands such as "Praise the Lord," they also share deep emotion that if acted upon, may not line up with godly behavior. (For example, the depression expressed in Psalm 88 does not necessarily advocate living in that mindset perpetually.)

Consider history. Remember that there were times that God made clear to the Jews that they should destroy their enemies. It's possible that the Psalmist was praying back to God something that God had already made clear He would do. Israel's enemies were often peoples who did not worship God and infiltrated the Israelites with evil.

Think about the prayer. The Psalmist is asking God to enact justice. In a sense, he is expressing his trust that God will take care of things as He should. God did use His children in war from time to time, but these types of prayers focus on God being glorified and God handling situations in the proper way, not "please stamp your approval on my plan for revenge."

Understand the relationship. The Psalmist was praying to God, showing a deep relationship and a willingness to express many different feelings. This shows a trust in God and an intimacy that allows for expressions of even negative feelings. There are times you might indeed "vent" to the Lord about something that seems unfair.

The Psalmist gives us a great example to go to the Lord in prayer whenever we feel attacked. This could be spiritual warfare, relationship issues, or any number of situations that can bring us down. Be sure to spend time with God before acting hastily to enact revenge or fix a situation to your liking.