Count his prayers as sins. All of the above observations lead me to the conclusion that the imprecatory psalms are far more relevant and applicable to Christians today than we would like to admit. In the previous verses (6-20) David has made an imprecation against his enemies. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. David is innocent, yet his enemies have accused him of wrong-doing. It would be interesting to check the responsive readings included in modern hymnals or books of worship, to see the degree to which the Psalms have been edited for Christian worship.185. Remember, the psalm was written for public worship. Many of the Psalms reflect this aspect of Gods compassion for the afflicted and needy (v. 22), and appeal is often made to God based upon His concern for those in such straits: When they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, misery, and sorrow, He pours contempt upon princes, and makes them wander in a pathless waste. Your email address will not be published. 1 For the choir director. 1:20) as he did the man living with his fathers wife (1 Cor. He not only has refrained from evil toward the wicked, he has done them nothing but good (v.5; cf. The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people,It is you who have devoured the vineyard;The plunder of the poor is in your houses. Luke 19:41-44, esp. The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves!Should not shepherds feed the sheep? Kittel, above, fn. February 2018 May we not quickly disregard the stern warning of this psalm. Those who make them do not profess to be absolutely sinless, but they do claim to belong to the class of the righteous who may expect Gods favour, and they do disclaim all fellowship with the wicked, from whom they expect to be distinguished in the course of His Providence. A. F. Kirkpatrick, The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House [reprint], 1982), p. lxxxvii. Then the kings wrath subsided. I must ask you then, why does God send men to hell? I offer the following work in progress: 1. Five hundred years ago, with a candour that might surprise us, Cardinal Cajetan asked how the members of the church might lawfully go about removing a hypothetically wicked pope (the pope at the time was Julius II, il papa terribile; his predecessor was a Borgia and his successor a Medici). 9. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. A strongman is the controller of a group of spirits or the chief over a group of spirits, what the Bible calls "rulers of darkness of this world". Psalm 109 is vastly different from a voodoo curse. 18 But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, And it entered into his body like water, And like oil into his bones. But may they be overthrown before Thee; deal with them in the time of Thine anger! (NASB). I sit in Christ at the right hand of God's throne, far above all principalities and powers, and every satanic spirit operating on earth and everywhere else ( Eph. 1 Samuel 15:23 - He can easily overthrow a wicked king. The inference seems to be that they have chosen to interpret Davids suffering as the evidence of his sin, just as Jobs friends reasoned about his condition. 8 Let his days be few; Let another take his office. May they be blotted out of the book of life, and may they not be recorded with the righteous (Ps. 14:18; Ps. 21:7), Shimei (2 Sam. Do not let the false and hurting words touch me. To be hard on sin is to hinder its growth, not only in the lives of others but in our own as well. 21:24; Lev. I dismantle every instrument used to increase the volume of wicked voices from my foundation, in the name of Jesus Christ. Let the healing power of the Holy Spirit, overshadow me. Our greatest problem with imprecatory psalms is that the psalmist takes sin much more seriously than we do. Rather, by using conventional language he affirms that his situation is typical of every man who struggles with the meaning of his life in the concrete situations of tension, hostility, and conflict. Its not a time to incarnate the news cycle (or social media cycle nowadays) to register our concern on the Change.god petition board. After much prayer and research, Ive concluded that Christians can, and in fact, should pray for the removal of wicked leaders from positions of authority. We will return to this subject below. Protection prayer against evil. 2:5-11). Let us look first to the God to whom these prayers were addressed and His Spirit who inspired them, and then to the text itself for His message to us. This blog is not associated with Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. There are numerous imprecations in the New Testament also, such as that of the saints who were slain for their righteousness: And when He broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth? (Rev. 16, cf. Lord, arise in your power and dishonour every wicked power in my life in Jesus name. 33. By giving up vengeance we free ourselves to love and to forgive in a way that we cannot produce in and of ourselves. 1 Cor. In fact, when Paul instructs Christians not to take revenge (Rom. Oh God, let the mercy upon the wicked expire and let them run out of grace in Jesus name. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,But when a wicked man rules, people groan. 11. 38 views, 1 likes, 0 loves, 1 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Igreja Batista em Jardim Maggi: 26/02/2023 + NOSSAS REDES + - YOUTUBE:. We have adopted the thinking summarized by the expression, Im O.K., Youre O.K. If you will pardon me for doing so, I could entitle Psalm 109, Im O.K., but Youre Not. Such was the conviction of the psalmist. Or is this just a partisan prayer? Like a roaring lion and a rushing bearIs a wicked ruler over a poor people. Depression God, release your thunder and fire to the camp of the wicked in Jesus name. Black Berry Pin: 286431e3. 12 Let there be none to extend lovingkindness to him, Nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children. 192 After surveying the possibilities for identifying the enemies referred to in the imprecatory psalms, Anderson has some excellent concluding remarks: None of these interpretations is completely satisfactory. 24:1-8)later he was conscience-stricken for the spirit which had prompted this act (v. 5). July 2021 May an outcry be heard from their houses, when Thou suddenly bringest raiders upon them; for they have dug a pit to capture me and hidden snares for my feet. Faith At Christmas Ps. 8:00AM EDT 10/21/2021 Larry Tomczak. If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless (Exod. Isaiah 1:23 - God's kingdom will be free of corruption. 193 The singular (over him &c.), which now takes the place of the plural, may be collective, the Psalmists enemies being regarded as a whole; or distributive, each one of the mass being singled out: but more probably it fastens upon the leader of the gang (v. 2) upon whom rests the real guilt. Play over 320 million tracks for free on SoundCloud. Saul also received much for which David prayed. B. Pray for God to remove corrupt leaders (58:7-9). Now David appeals to God to deal graciously with him on the basis of Gods character and Davids pitiable condition. November 2014 (I Cor 12:10) I pray that I might have the stamina and will power to pray until your work has been completed in prayer. February 2017 Pray When the Wicked Seem to be Winning. In verses 14-20 David continues to seek the punishment of his foes, but his petition is based upon a slightly different argument. Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel, Who abhor justice And twist everything that is straight, Who build Zion with bloodshed And Jerusalem with violent injustice. Put an end to his evil-making against your image bearers and Jesus' church, in Ukraine and Russia. Who Is Jesus 12:19; Deut. Jesus Christ came to the earth to take upon Himself our sins and our punishment. 18:17-20) so that he may be severely chastened, with the goal of his repentance and restoration (cf. May his children become fatherless, and his wife a widow. Imprecations are effective only when we see sin as God does and when we ask Him to deal with sin as He has promised to deal with it in His Word. In fact, we have developed very subtle and spiritual-sounding means of committing the sin of character assassination. Exod. David, like the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. Romans 13:7 NLT: Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. Wicked voices telling me I will never triumph, die in the name of Jesus. 10:21; Jer. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. But He sets the needy securely on high away from affliction, and makes his families like a flock. And do I not loathe those who rise up against Thee? May the LORD never forget the sins of his fathers; may his mothers sins never be erased from the record. They therefore deserve Gods retributive judgment. ii. Isaiah 10:1. January 2015 But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. Woke Virginia school board member who branded Iwo Jima 'evil' voted against 9/11 tribute and urged lessons about attacks to avoid using terms 'radical Islamic terrorism' and 'jihadist' over fears of Islamophobia. Pray and come against demons whose targets and assignment are the leaders of the body, their spouses, marriages and families; declare that they shall not prosper, in Jesus name. 35:12). Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 1:6ff. Lord God, you are the Builder of all things. Likewise, those who are worthy of divine wrath are carefully defined. 12:17-21), he uses an Old Testament passage from the Book of Deuteronomy as his proof-text (Rom. July 2022 November 2019 Praise Who will stand up for me against evildoers? We are thus judging the whole by one part. God in His mighty power intervened in the situation and cause the evil plots of Haman to backfire on him. Cf. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. . Since the wicked love to curse, let cursing come to them (v. 17a). 6 Appoint a wicked man over him; And let an accuser stand at his right hand. ( Psalm 94:20-21 / ESV) Many European nations rejected God decades ago. July 2017 There are soul-stirring psalms which inspire us to worship and praise such as Psalm 103. 28:1-14). Pray and declare that the work of your hand is blessed and is enjoying divine prosperity, in Jesus name. Deut. They breathe the spirit of simple faith and childlike trust, which throws itself unreservedly on God. Therefore, give their children over to famine, and deliver them up to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless and widowed. 109:5) and treat them with kindness (as David did to Saul, Shimei, and the rest of his enemies). For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land of the righteous,So that the righteous will not put forth their hands to do wrong. (David is not praying that these terrible things will happen to his enemies, only prophesying that they will be punished for their wickedness.) I declare a sword of justice is against the mighty that seek to perpetuate evil plans and conspire against our nation. Tucker makes the case that there is a war against Christians happening in America on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight:' TUCKER CARLSON: You always imagine in your mind's eye that it's evil men who destroy . Biggest Christian Prayer and Bible Website, In a family where ancestors worshipped different idols and made promises to those idols, children from the lineage of those ancestors can grow up to face loud, wicked foundational voices and problems. Deut. ; 2:1ff. This doesnt mean God will answer at that moment. Ezekiel 18:20. You are " sovereign over all kingdoms .". Either the psalmist is self-deceived, a hypocrite or a liar. The Response to Justice (58:10-11) A. When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan. Lord, uproot and bulldoze the powers of the wicked from my destiny in Jesus name. 6:9-10). February 2015 I shall not die sudden death in the name of Jesus. Ours is not the first age to be painfully and undeniably aware that our leaders are not always shepherds after Gods own heart (Jer 3:15). Let our Redeemer thoroughly plead our case! 191 The word accuser, or adversary (satan), is prominent in the psalm, coming again in verses 20 and 29, while the corresponding verb has already appeared in verse 4. I ask you to watch over me again as you do always and stop the evil deeds of others from going further. Let God arise in His anger and fight for me. December 2016 (2) David wrote this psalm but in a carnal state of mind (cf. As the apostle Paul put it, Behold then the kindness and severity of God (Rom. Please save me from my enemies and their evil ways. prayer against wicked leaders. No matter how perplexing the problem of imprecatory psalms may be, we cannot easily dismiss them. Foundational voices saying the problems that troubled my ancestors will trouble me, die in the name of Jesus. 4.4 Prayer for evil spirits to be removed. The upright see it, and are glad; but all unrighteousness shuts its mouth. For the record, I dont find Good Friday as edifying as perhaps a longer litany of those in need would be. Why then are we so uneasy about them? Some have suggested that the person singled out in these verses is the leader of Davids opposition.193. Lord, with your broom of destruction, sweep away spiritual terrorists working against my manifestation in Jesus' name. Apparently as skinny as a shadow (v. 23), the psalmist also describes himself as one who is brushed aside as worthless, like a locust is shaken from a garment. June 2020 Imprecations such as those found in Psalm 109 have caused some Christians to question the value of the imprecatory prayers of the Bible for New Testament believers: It is surely a debatable question as to whether the church should retain the whole Psalter in its worship, including these troublesome passages, or whether the Psalter should be censored at those points which seem to be inconsistent with Gods revelation in Jesus Christ. My God, let their be disaster and calamities in the territory of the wicked forces working against me in Jesus name. Kidner has stated the problem more conservatively: The sudden transitions in the psalms from humble devotion to fiery imprecation create an embarrassing problem for the Christian, who is assured that all Scripture is inspired and profitable, but equally that he himself is to bless those who curse him.200. January 2018 We know also that all Scripture is profitable (2 Tim. 47. I bind every spirit working against answers to my prayers in the name of Jesus. 7. (Rom. July 4, 2017. 139:19-22). For all who govern in the church and in the world, that Christ may send the Spirit of Truth into their hearts, to strengthen in virtue any who falter in the right path,to convict the conscience of any who have failed to serve their people faithfully,and to inspire those who are unfit for office to step down,let us pray to the Lord. against whom such prayers are justified. Godly men and women prayed to God about their enemies, and they specified (on the basis of Gods word) what they felt should happen to them. You have set Your glory above the heavens! First, God is a God who is characterized by lovingkindness (vv. ); others are general professions of purity of purpose and single-hearted devotion to God (xvii. I dont disagree. 197 Kittel, as quoted by Leupold, p. 763. BUT, when declining to resist the temptation to Add More, my suggestion is to re-focus the object of such attentions from Them to Us its one rarer situations where petitionary prayer may more fruitfully be focused on self than others. Lord, hear my prayer against their wicked plans and cancel their plans against me. Examples of Davids enemies include Doeg the Edomite (Ps.