Dr Paul Allen

The survey revealed that these prayers for judgment, which are also called “imprecations,” are not isolated to the Psalter but found throughout the Bible, even on the lips of Jesus himself. It seems, then, given the somewhat frequent appearance of imprecation throughout Scripture with positive portrayals, and the commands to sing the psalms in Paul’s letters to New Covenant churches, that there is at least some expectation that Christians would be praying for God’s justice today. My guess, however, is that most of us haven’t heard imprecatory prayers uttered in the church. Usually, the reasoning goes something like, “That’s not how Jesus taught us to pray,” or “Aren’t we supposed to pray for our enemies, not against them?” Or, perhaps you’ve heard, “That was just an Old Testament thing, but we pray differently now.” These are understandable objections, to be sure. To answer these and other objections, and assert that imprecation is indeed appropriate for Christians today, I’ve grouped

Impreca-what? “Imprecation” is a fancy way of saying “curse,” and an imprecatory psalm is a “cursing psalm.” We see imprecatory prayers regularly in the Bible, such as when Nehemiah utters a more refined version of “I’m rubber, and you’re glue”: “Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.” (Neh. 4:4–5). ‘Imprecation’ is a fancy way of saying ‘curse,’ and an imprecatory psalm is a ‘cursing psalm.’   Paul wasn’t averse to issuing curses either: “If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed” (1 Cor. 16:22). And even Jesus gave “woes” upon the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 23) and upon Judas (26:23–24). Nehemiah prayed against Sanballat and Tobiah, infamous antagonists of God’s people in Jerusalem. Paul prayed against those who turned away from God, and Jesus aimed his

“ Cursed be Canaan ; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.… Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem ; and let Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth , and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant” ( Gen. 9:25–27 ).- Genesis 9:24–29 Exodus 20:12 teaches us necessarily to obey all authorities, for “it pleases God to govern us by their hand” (Heidleberg Catechism, 104). How we treat our leaders (family, church, or civil) reveals what we think of our Father, since He ordains them all ( Rom. 13:1–7 ). Having despised God by dishonoring his father, today’s passage records the curse Ham earned for his seed. These verses illustrate the maladies that can result if we do not obey our authorities faithfully. Let us first note this text has a sordid history of being used to justify ethnic slavery and racism. However, this use is manifestly unjustifiable. The malediction says nothing about race; it is based on faith, and in any case is pronounced on

Christ in Gethsemane (Christus in Gethsemane), oil painting by Heinrich Ferdinand Hofmann (Heinrich Hofmann). The original is at the Riverside Church (Riverside Church, New York City). (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The key to understanding the cry of Jesus from the cross is found in Paul's letter to the Galatians : " Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree'" ( Gal. 3:13 , NIV ). To be cursed is to be removed from the presence of God , to be set outside the camp, to be cut off from His benefits. On the cross, Jesus was cursed. That is, He represented the Jewish nation of covenant breakers who were exposed to the curse and took the full measure of the curse on Himself. As the Lamb of God, the Sin Bearer, He was cut off from the presence of God. On the cross, Jesus entered into the experience of forsakenness on our behalf. God turned His back on Jesus and cut Him off from

Image via Wikipedia "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing : therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." ( Deuteronomy 30:19 )   Shortly before his death, Moses restated the law and the covenant between God and His people summed up in the greatest commandment : "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" ( Deuteronomy 6:5 ).   Furthermore, Moses claimed that "this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven. . . . Neither is it beyond the sea" ( Deuteronomy 30:11-13 ). Nothing about it was hard to understand. "But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it" ( Deuteronomy 30:14 ).   Indeed, the evidence that God is Creator , Judge, Provider, and Redeemer is all around us. Our

Image via Wikipedia The key to understanding the cry of Jesus from the cross is found in Paul's letter to the Galatians :  " Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘ Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree'" ( Gal. 3:13 , NIV ). To be cursed is to be removed from the presence of God , to be set outside the camp, to be cut off from His benefits. On the cross, Jesus was cursed.  That is, He represented the Jewish nation of covenant breakers who were exposed to the curse and took the full measure of the curse on Himself. As the Lamb of God, the Sin Bearer, He was cut off from the presence of God. On the cross, Jesus entered into the experience of forsakenness on our behalf.  G od turned His back on Jesus and cut Him off from all blessing, from all keeping, from all grace, and from all peace. God is too holy to even look at iniquity. God the Father turned His back on the Son, cursing Him to the pit of hell while H

Image via Wikipedia The key to understanding the cry of Jesus from the cross is found in Paul's letter to the Galatians :  " Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘ Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree'" ( Gal. 3:13 , NIV ). To be cursed is to be removed from the presence of God , to be set outside the camp, to be cut off from His benefits. On the cross, Jesus was cursed.  That is, He represented the Jewish nation of covenant breakers who were exposed to the curse and took the full measure of the curse on Himself. As the Lamb of God, the Sin Bearer, He was cut off from the presence of God. On the cross, Jesus entered into the experience of forsakenness on our behalf.  G od turned His back on Jesus and cut Him off from all blessing, from all keeping, from all grace, and from all peace. God is too holy to even look at iniquity. God the Father turned His back on the Son, cursing Him to the pit of hell while H