Handling the Haters
Imprecatory psalms. Betcha can't say that 5 times fast. Just how should Christians handle these passages that call down judgment on our enemies? Let's learn from King David how to be 'properly' offended and what it means for us today.
We are taking a one-week break for Jimmy to work on his tan but will return the first week of June.
Thinking it through:
At the very least, because David’s prayer to God is in the Bible, we can learn that we can talk to God this way.
When we’re going through trials or have people who feel like enemies in our lives, our prayers should include what’s really going on in our hearts. We don’t need to put on a “Christian” persona. 🙅♀️ We should come with love and respect. But that doesn’t mean we can’t show other emotions!
David is angry about how other people are belittling God! He values God so much that this triggers his emotions! His prayer is motivated by those wronging God, not himself!
Righteously motivated anger is a healthy thing. This is so counter-cultural today!
In the Old Testament, the Israelite nation had been a theocracy. After a king was established (first King Saul, then King David), the government and church were intermingled. These institutions weren’t separate like they are today in the United States. It was actually appropriate for King David to have righteous wrath against the enemies of God - including those within his community.
How does this apply today? Should we cut off those who aren’t living righteously within our community? We discussed in last week’s episode that God does the sorting, not us..
Instead, this psalm reminds us where our loyalties should lie. Our greatest emotional investment should be spent on God and defending His Word. The greater we value God in our hearts, the more our lives will be impacted by Him.
Application questions:
What currently has the greatest impact on your emotions? A person? A job? A thing?
What offends you most? What does this reveal about your loyalties?
Do you feel offended on God’s behalf? Are you protective of God and His Word?
Additional resources:
Our sponsor: BetterMan.com
“Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy” by Mark Vroegop is a great resource for those grieving and going through seasons of suffering.
Want to learn more about how the Bible should bother you? You’re in luck! We’ve got an episode about that right here.
If you found this episode particularly interesting, you’ll probably also be intrigued by The Road to Child Sacrifice is Paved With Good Intentions
We couldn’t answer every question about this passage but we certainly hope we helped! Want to ask more questions? Email question@clearlypodcast.com.