(“Massacre of the Holy Innocents” by Alexey Pismenny)
I continue to wonder how the current leader of the United States of America can live so intimately with evil. I continue to wonder how much struggle and suffering we can endure squashed like flies under his economic thumb. I continue to wonder how long it will take for other nations to leave him in isolation, knowing that many American citizens are not in favour of his actions.
I continue to struggle with all of this in my mind and heart. I do so knowing that the God I worship has called me to love my enemies.
I don’t want to “grieve as others do who have no hope.” I no longer place great hope in politicians, though politicians have their places.
Instead, I turn to the imprecatory psalms and prayers and sentiments in scripture. I turn to words like,
“Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions, cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.” (Psalm 5:10)
“O God, break the teeth in their mouths.” (Psalm 58:6)
“He loved to curse; let curses come on him.
He did not like blessing; may it be far from him.
He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
may it soak into his body like water,
like oil into his bones.” (Psalm 109:17-18)
O that you would kill the wicked, O God,
and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—
those who speak of you maliciously
and lift themselves up against you for evil! (Psalm 139:19-20)
“Bring on them the day of disaster;
destroy them with double destruction!”
(Jeremiah 17:18)
“I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; they cried out with a loud voice, ‘Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?’” (Revelation 6:9-10)
Oh, and this one too:
“Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will pay him back for his deeds.” (2 Timothy 4:14)
As I pray prayers like these, I am reminded that each one contains violent intentions toward an enemy. But not one indicates that the person praying intends to carry this violence out on their own. Instead, they ask God—plead with God—to take vengeance on their enemies.
As you pray your own prayers today, I invite you to listen to this poem by Malcolm Guite and place your hope in the God who has promised to end all evil.
