#DailyDevotion How To Curse Properly
Psalm 35 4May those who are trying to kill me be humiliated and disgraced; may those who plan disaster for me be turned back with shame; 5may they be like chaff blown by the wind -the Angel of the LORD throwing them down; 6may their path be dark and slippery —the Angel of the LORD chasing them. 7Without a reason they secretly lay their net over a pit for me, digging it for me without a reason. 8May they be destroyed suddenly when they least expect it; may the net they hid catch them; may they fall into it and be destroyed.
Much of what we call cursing today is nothing but foul language. These verses are proper cursing. Sometimes we call them imprecatory. What we are doing here is expressing the will of God towards those who persecute His people. In time, this was His servant David, then our LORD Jesus Christ and now those who are in Christ Jesus. Of course people can escape these curses if they repent and their hearts are turned to the LORD and join us in His body.
So as we look at the world and see Christians being persecuted, beaten, their property taken from them, sold into slavery and at times killed, this psalm is going from the mouth of Jesus into the Father’s ear. It is good, right and proper for us to pray these as well. We should hope when the LORD takes action against our enemies they may repent and turn to the LORD. When they do repent, we may be there with the sweet words of forgiveness from Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.
Listen to the things David prays for: his enemies be humiliated and disgraced; they turn back in shame; they be driven and thrown down by the Angel of the LORD; they be destroyed suddenly; the net they set for us to catch them and destroy them. You know, when I’ve prayed this psalm and others like it, I often turn to the LORD and tell Him, “I really don’t want all that to happen to them. I just want them to leave me alone.” This is some pretty harsh stuff. Of course, when David prayed, they were literally trying to hunt him down to kill him. It’s much easier to understand these words being prayed when one’s life is on the line. As the prayers of the Church, you need not pray them for yourself. You may pray them for your brothers and sisters throughout the world who are undergoing persecution and being killed off.
We note the Angel of the LORD being invoked here. David may be remembering how the Angel of the LORD delivered his ancestors from the Egyptians or how He fought with and for Joshua and his armies as they took over the Promised Land. The Angel of the LORD is our LORD Jesus Christ who fights all our battles for us. It is He who encamps around His people and protects them. He also sends forth His heavenly hosts when necessary to guard and protect us. Nevertheless, we may wonder at times where He is in the midst of troubles, trials and persecutions. It is because at times it serves the Gospel and its spread for us to suffer with Christ. While He may not prevent the suffering, we should know He has not abandoned us but has joined us in our suffering and persecution.
O Almighty God, God of all power and might, if it be your will, deliver us from the hands of all those who wish to do us harm. Do what it takes to bring them to repentance so they may join us in Your most holy faith. Grant us strength to continue until You grant us relief. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.