Imprecatory prayIng

If I would stand up in church (most churches) and start praying that sinners would perish from
the earth and God will bring His wrath upon them. I would imagine that those church members would
be first shocked and two would get angry. They probably would think I’m condemning them to Hell. And
that is just unchristian like.

But the scriptures teach us that we should pray like this. But there are a few basic rules to do so.
First what is exactly imprecatory praying? Imprecatory praying is simply praying for God’s judgment
against His enemies. The purpose is not a personal revenge on someone. The purpose deals with anger
against those who continue to be wicked and provoke God. It is a zeal for God’s kingdom.

In Psalm 104:35, David prayed that the sinners be consumed from the earth and the wicked no
more. Also the Psalmist in Psalm 7, 35, 58:6, 59, 69, 79, 109, 137, 139 endorses this kind of praying. But
the Old Testament does not only contain this type of negative sanction. Indeed it is in the New
Testament as well. Such as Galatians 1:8 – 9, 5:12, Matthew 23:13, 26:23 -24, Romans 11:9 – 10,
Romans 15:3, Revelation 6:10 and 1 Corinthians 16:22.

I don’t believe one could understand this kind of praying unless he/she understood certain
doctrines such as the sovereignty of God and the doctrine of election. You need to realize there are
people that are going to Hell and there will be people that go to Heaven.

I believe that this kind of attitude has a passion for God and His kingdom and only this. This zeal
for God and His kingdom is greater than wanting every soul to be saved. This zeal desires for God’s name
to be proclaimed throughout the earth and honored. And if it is not! Then the praying for God’s wrath to
be poured out to those who refuse.

In other words the way Martin Luther puts it, “We should pray that our enemies be converted
and become our friends, and if not that their doing and designing should be bound to fail and have no
success and their person perishes rather than the Gospel and the Kingdom of Christ.” David Dickson says
it like this, “If any of the enemies of God’s people belong to God’s election the churches pray against
them giveth away their conversion. And seeketh no more than that the judgment should follow them
only until they acknowledge their sin turn and seek God.”

So, would you rather see the Gospel and the Kingdom of God perish or the deeds and the
corruption of the wicked perish?

Feb. 8, 2010 DwellingWithGod.com By Jay Gheen