Psalm Category: Psalm of Lament

Central Thought: Psalm 35 is a prayer for justice in which David seeks the demise of his enemies.

Helpful Resources: Instead of including here the usual examination of a Hebrew word, here are some helpful resources on the imprecatory psalms:

1. James E. Adams, War Psalms of the Prince of Peace (Phillipsburg, N.J.: P&R, 1991). This resource is particularly helpful in applying imprecation in the Christian life. It is available at www.psalms4u.com.
2. Michael Bushell, Songs of Zion (Pittsburgh, Pa.: Crown & Covenant, 1999), pp. 32-44.
3. J. G. Vos, “The Ethical Problem of the Imprecatory Psalms,” Westminster Theological Journal, vol. 4, May 1942, no. 1, pp. 123-138.

Psalm 35

One of my favorite novels is The Count of Monte Cristo, in which the protagonist, Edmond Dantes, is falsely incriminated through a conspiracy of his enemies. This conspiracy leads to Edmond’s imprisonment, during which he painstakingly plans his escape and revenge. After his escape, he reenters society as the Count of Monte Cristo and executes that revenge.

In Psalm 35, David experienced an injustice similar to that of Edmond Dantes and, like the Count of Monte Cristo, he seeks the destruction of his enemies.

The Elements of the Injustice: David suffers three basic elements of injustice. First, his enemies seek his life without cause (vv. 4, 7). He is innocent, yet they seek to kill him like a criminal. Second, they falsely incriminate him (vv. 11, 15, 20). They trump up false charges against him. Third, they “gloat” over his demise (vv. 19, 24, 26). They rejoice at his downfall.

The Essence of the Redress Sought: David responds to this injustice by seeking redress from God. He desires God to take two actions on his behalf. First, he asks God to be his legal advocate. He calls on God to “contend” on his behalf (vv. 1, 23). Second, he requests that God be his divine warrior. He calls upon God to “fight” (v. 1), to “take up shield and buckler” (v. 2) and to “brandish spear and javelin” (v. 3). His enemies are attacking him both legally and militarily. David asks God to defend him against both assaults.

David’s request for redress is not simply defensive. He is not merely asking for deliverance from his enemies, but he is also praying for their demise. The essence of the redress sought by David is imprecation. He is calling down curses upon his enemies. He desires God to do to them what they did to him. This call for equivalence is most clearly seen in verses 7-8, in which David asks that his enemies be destroyed by their own conspiratorial tactics. David desires God to bring his enemies to “ruin” (v. 8) and to reduce them to “chaff” (v. 5).

The Ethical Problem of Imprecation: Many biblical scholars have struggled with the ethics of David’s prayer. They question the appropriateness of Christians singing and praying psalms like this one. After all, doesn’t Jesus demand that we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us? Did not Jesus forgive His enemies on the cross? Based on arguments such as these, scholars have proposed a variety of solutions to this ethical problem.

I am most persuaded by the arguments of J. G. Vos, who contends that the solution to the so-called ethical problem is to recognize that there is no ethical problem at all. As Vos contends, the ethical problem only emerges when we view these psalms through a humanistic lens rather than a divine one.

David is not praying for something unethical; rather, he is offering divinely inspired prayers. He is not acting as a vigilante, but rather puts the entire matter in the hands of the perfect judge and executioner. If Christians can’t pray for the demise of enemies, then we can’t pray the Lord’s Prayer in which we ask that God bring His kingdom and will upon the earth as it is in heaven.

Where God’s kingdom advances, by necessity His enemies are either converted or destroyed. Imprecatory prayers are kingdom prayers, and it is wholly appropriate for Christians to sing and pray imprecations against the enemies of God’s kingdom. In doing so, we should heed the advice of Martin Luther: “We should pray that our enemies be converted and become our friends, and if not, that their doing and designing be bound to fail and have no success and that their persons perish rather than the Gospel and kingdom of Christ.”

—Anthony Selvaggio