October 2021 Remove impurities from the silver and the silversmith can craft a fine chalice; Remove the wicked from leadership and authority will be credible and God-honoring. Who will protect me from the wicked? Dear Father, I beg Your protection against the evil one's wickedness. You hate all who do wrong; you destroy those who tell lies. How might the public words of the liturgy address and even shape this issue? 938-939; Perowne, The Book of Psalms, I, pp. Lou de Palingboer (Louwrens Voorthuijzen) [27] (1898-1968), a Dutch charismatic leader who claimed to be God as well as the Messiah from 1950 until his death in 1968. 287-288. Ruth's Journey 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. For example, if a friend is dying, I will pray for N. I generally dont ask for a miracle, for a quick death, or such. Count his prayers as sins. They say, Get an evil person to turn against him. 21 But Thou, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Thy names sake; Because Thy lovingkindness is good, deliver me; 22 For I am afflicted and needy, And my heart is wounded within me. Judgment of God, visit invisible enemies who use their voices to torment my life, in the name of Jesus. also 1 Sam. In addition this psalm will be used to address the broader subject of imprecatory prayers. 51. Read more: Prayers to disgrace the enemies . Fill the following form: You have entered an incorrect email address! As long as we retain in Christian worship material which breathes a spirit of aggression, self-assertion and vengeance, we are contradicting our faith. The basis for Davids petition is then given in verses 2-5. A final reason is given for Gods intervening on Davids behalf. Punishment and vengeance belong to God. 38:18). Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men, Haman a very wicked man decided in his wicked mind to destroy a whole nation just because Mordecai, a Jew refused to bow down to him. 69:5; cf. The nature of the sin of the wicked against David is especially informative. At first blush you think how can a God who is love do the kinds of things the writers are asking Him to do? ), Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. The plain truth is that we really do not know who the enemies were, for the psalmist expresses his distress in stylized language which had been employed for centuries in cultic situations. I dismantle every instrument used to increase the volume of wicked voices from my foundation, in the name of Jesus Christ. This is what Mordecai and others throughout the kingdom were doing they put on sackcloth a sign of humility and ashes a sign of repentance and purification from sin and they wept and prayed. Please purify me, mold me, fill me with you. . Let me tell you that if we had the courage and the conviction to pray as David did, we would be very ill at ease in regard to our own sins. 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. Wicked voices telling me I will never triumph, die in the name of Jesus. Father, save the world from all powers of the wicked in Jesus name. Judgment is one theme, one aspect of Gods dealings with men, but not the whole. Prov. (David is not praying that these terrible things will happen to his enemies, only prophesying that they will be punished for their wickedness.) Your email address will not be published. Concerning evil, both hands do it well.The prince asks, also the judge, for a bribe,And a great man speaks the desire of his soul;So they weave it together. Lord, with your broom of destruction, sweep away spiritual terrorists working against my manifestation in Jesus' name. Rather than show his adversaries mercy, let God deal with them in the light of their own sins, as well as those of their fathers (vv. 1 Samuel 15:23 - He can easily overthrow a wicked king. (7) It is perhaps incorrect to refer to any psalm as an imprecatory psalm for the simple reason that while imprecation is a part of the psalm, it is not the whole of it. 1ff.). Ten minutes from the White House, our weekly meeting of 2,000 primarily young people prayed that God would . They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. (May God in His power cause all the evil plots of the wicked against us to backfire upon them in Jesus name). There is a change in the reference to Davids enemies in the plural (vv. December 2020 2. 199 A quote by Earle Bennett Cross, Modern Worship and the Psalter (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1932), p. 29, as cited by Rupe Simms in an unpublished article entitled, The Imprecatory Literature of the Psalms: A Study in Moral, Biblical and Theological Tensions.. As, says: Our parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and forsook him. 4.1 Prayer to cancel the evil plan of the enemy. In private, believers may seek all kinds of remedies, some more edifying than others. 61-62. Acts 1:20). Psalm 37 - When Our Hearts Need a New Focus. 32:35), as well as a quotation from Proverbs 25:21ff. It is the word, incidentally, from which Satan derives his title and name, since he presses the case against the righteous with relish and with every artifice (cf. He will praise God for His deliverance in the midst of the congregation (v. 30). Cursing was like a garment to the wicked (v. 18a), so let it become his only clothing (vv. 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. 10 Let his children wander about and beg; And let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes. Isaiah 10:1. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. This Psalm presents a pretty vivid picture of whats happening in the United States today. Proverbs 29:2. 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? I recently heard of a senior U.S. prelate (denomination unknown) who regularly prays that his president may suffer a mild heart-attack not so severe as to threaten his life (or his capacity for conversion), but severe enough to require his permanent retirement from office. David requested retribution for his enemies.195 Retribution is simply getting what you give. 10:21; Jer. Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS) TOP III. April 2016 7. I had strongly opposed the Iraq War, but this struck me as a great example of how the Universal Prayer ought not be used and what it was for. Lord, arise in your power and dishonour every wicked power in my life in Jesus name. According to Perowne, there are no less than 30 anathemas pronounced upon Davids enemies in this one psalm.184 David not only seeks the punishment of his enemy but also the painful consequences brought on his family: Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. 107:39-43). 21,26). Protect me, O Lord, from the craftiness of the enemy, and save . Sin is worse that we thought. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Herod was a ruler in Bethlehem during the birth of Jesus, hearing about the birth of Jesus Christ he devised wicked plans to kill Jesus but his plans failed. 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. 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. Let his children wander about and beg; and let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes (vv. I move into another level of progress in the name of Jesus. I give God all the glory for making me triumph, in the name of Jesus. Other Psalms contain similar prayers for the punishment of evildoers: Do Thou add iniquity to their iniquity, and may they not come into Thy righteousness. The specific petition to God concerning the Leaders (vs. 6-. While the psalmist is innocent, his enemies are not. Andersons words here do not reflect his position, but are intended to bring the problem of the imprecatory prayers of the Bible into focus. Behind the scenes they were engaged in harmful activity. God's Will Versus My Will September 2020 Hello world! #4. 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. No one who places his trust in the solution to sinthe Savior, Jesus Christneed suffer the consequences of sin. October 2015 4.3 Fear no evil prayer. O God, Creator of all things, I humbly pray that You will remove the wicked leaders from their positions and replace them with those who are righteously appointed. The arrogant cannot stand. 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. They are corrupt selfish, greedy wicked and ruthless. Wicked voices that decree sickness into my home and saying no to my healing, I uproot your tongue in the name of Jesus. 22:22-24). 48. The most plausible explanation is that David is moving from the general to the specific. Saul also received much for which David prayed. I ask for Your protection against all forms of evil. In religious terms an imprecation is a prayer for evil or misfortune to befall another. (or: Which Heresy Will You Give Up for Lent? 1:20) as he did the man living with his fathers wife (1 Cor. a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. You have heard the law that says, Love your neighbor. Rom. 6:17,21). October 2018 28:1; 35:22; 83:1). In response to the rebellion of Korah, God destroyed Korah, Dathan and Abiram, along with their wives, their children, their cattle, and their possessions (Num. 27 And let them know that this is Thy hand; Thou, LORD, hast done it. [1] In 303, the emperors Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius issued a series of edicts rescinding Christians' legal rights and demanding that they comply with traditional religious practices. Bible Verses about Wicked Rulers. God, release your thunder and fire to the camp of the wicked in Jesus name. Let God arise in His anger and fight for me. Davids imprecation is certainly fierce and forthright, but I believe that it is not excessive. January 2018 Cp. 147:6; cf. Angels Depression August 2016 13 Let his posterity be cut off; In a following generation let their name be blotted out. He will not judge you for telling Him how you feel. I disarm any power that has made a covenant with the ground, water and wind about me in the name of Jesus. We are thus judging the whole by one part. Paul cursed Elymas for resisting the gospel (Acts 13:6-11) and damned any who would pervert it (Gal. Those who persecuted them and others. I have looked through the missal and found no examples of prayers for the removal of leaders of Church or state. While God is a God of wrath, He is also a God of mercy. also Deut. March 2020 May creditors seize his entire estate, and strangers take all he has earned. It is easy for those who have not lived through the hellish experiences of saints who have suffered greatly for their faith to be critical of such imprecations. July 2018 1. Evil smell is a satanic virus that contaminate the destiny of people. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, A Psalm for All Seasons: Studies in the Book of Psalms. 5:9). I declare a sword is against their treasures and they will be robbed, according to Jeremiah 50:37. I believe that in Davids case his enemies were Gods enemies whom God hated (cf. I dont disagree. Examples of Davids enemies include Doeg the Edomite (Ps. Oh God, let the mercy upon the wicked expire and let them run out of grace in Jesus name. Prayer is a sure and steady weapon for times like these, and there's no surer guide for prayer than the Psalms. Deut. While it may seem unnecessarily severe for David to pray for his enemys untimely death and for his family to suffer for his sins, Davids petition is based upon the principles and practices of the Old Testament. 193. . You can submit your prayer request here, and we will interfere on your behalf. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. The Psalmist is expressing himself to God in need. 14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, And do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out. I personally believe that the final step of church discipline involves turning the sinner over to Satan (under Gods sovereign control, cf. When the psalmist prayed as he did in Psalm 109, he admitted his feelings and his desires (which were in accordance with Gods character and His covenant with men). Incidentally, the Israelites did not seem to think Gods principles and promises were unreasonable when it came to national blessings, nor when the curses were directed toward their enemies. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 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. Prayer against all evil. Lord God, you are the Builder of all things. So I decided to look at what the Bible says about removing wicked leaders if we feel that their actions are ungodly and against the teachings of Christ. Wicked voices assigned to advise me to commit suicide, die right now in the name of Jesus. Verses 1-5 are the basis of Davids imprecation. Deut. Christmas Faith Jon. 3:16) and therefore these prayers have a lesson for us to learn. 50. 9. We ask that Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to his will, and that the shepherds of our souls may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd, but we never ask God to remove any who may be unfaithful, corrupt, or incompetent. A God whose very nature is to take pity on the afflicted can certainly be expected to hear the plea of the psalmist, since he is spiritually and physically miserable. 30. This freed David from personal vengeance, enabling him to love his enemies (cf. This same principle was expressed in the Book of Proverbs: The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous (Prov. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. Psalms like these are called imprecatory Psalms. They are Psalms which ask God to curse, destroy, or remove an enemy of the writer. Evil pronouncement from wicked voices from my foundation, I send you back to senders in the name of Jesus. 184 J. J. Stewart Perowne, The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Zondervan [reprint], 1976), I, p. 305. Where was this post in 2009-2016? 18:19-23; cf. What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. Jezebel was the wife of a king in the Bible named Ahab, Jezebel exhibited her wickedness by strategically planning and carrying out the execution of a man named Naboth of a city Jezreel. Therefore, on account of you Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, And the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest. David further prays for the financial ruin (vv. Oh Lord, scatter every gathering of the wicked working against my progress in Jesus name. Why isnt hell a terrible place of torment for Satan and his angels and sin?