The Laments of Our Lives, Part II

In addition to the 65 or 66 laments in the Psalms you will find 35 or 36 imprecatory Psalms.

I’ve labeled imprecatory Psalms as laments on steroids.

The meaning of the word imprecatory is: to call down evil or curses. Usually it is used in reference to another human that hurt us or disappointed us greatly.

Imprecatory Psalms express great anger and or a desire for revenge on someone who has hurt us or “done us dirty.” Once again some biblical scholars choose to ignore these god-breathed words and deny the existence of such severe emotions in the life of a believer. But we have to do better than just ignore these things. We have to learn how to deal with them because these emotions are real and many of us experience them from time to time.

I’ve heard stories of folks using the imprecatory Psalms as models for prayers. But they weren’t given as a model for prayer. They were given as a model for what to do when our thoughts are invaded by these emotions on steroids.

Here are a few Imprecatory Psalms for you to take a look at: 35, 69, 83, 109, 137 and 140.

My favorite imprecatory is found in Psalms 58:7, 8. It says, “Break the teeth of these fierce lions, O God. May they disappear like water draining away; may they be crushed like weeds on a path. May they be like snails that dissolve into slime; may they be like a baby born dead that never sees the light.”

Dr. Walter Brueggeman says that we have three choices to make when it comes to these emotions. First, we can act them out. But our recent history has shown the chaos that happens when this choice is made. You don’t have to go further than Newtown, Connecticut; Columbine High School or the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado.

Secondly, we could deny them. Another way to describe this choice is that we would “stuff” our emotions. This works for awhile but everyone has a limit as to how much can be stuffed. When we reach that limit there is a blow out coming. Unfortunately when there is a blow-out, the ones who suffer are those closest to us such as our spouse, our kids or our co-workers. We’ve all heard stories about the consequences of stuffing our emotions.

The third and most appropriate choice is to hand them off to God as the Psalmists did. I know it’s not easy but when you realize that we are to be salt, light, and live with hope so that none should perish, we have to do whatever it takes to ensure that we are able to be all those things that God has chosen for us to be.

I’m not sure who the Psalmist had in mind when he ask God to break their teeth or for God to make them like a snail that dissolved into slime but I know that God is able to help take those emotions and replace them with joy, hope and peace.

We can’t allow our emotions to control us so the choice is that we take our emotions to God; hand them off to Him; and live our lives as salt and light filled with hope so that none perish.

Always in Pursuit!