Understanding Imprecatory Psalms: Rejoicing in its Truth

Psalms of imprecation, the calling down of curses upon the Lord's enemies, are often misunderstood as being the 'Old Testament prayer' because New Testament prayers shouldn't be like that.

The truth is that there is no disparity between the Old Testament Scriptures and the New Testament Scriptures. There is not a time in history since Adam's fall, or ever will be, that anyone has ever been saved apart from grace through faith. We need to remember that the Hebrew Scriptures was the Bible of New Covenant saints after the Day of Pentecost until the New Testament gospel and epistles were written.

Imprecatory psalms, such as Psalm 35, Psalm 69, and Psalm 109 provide for us first, tremendous prophetic insights into Christ's sufferings upon the Cross and His judgment upon Christ-rejecting, God-hating sinners in that Day. Because His wrath and judgment is what we deserve, these Psalms also provide us incredible personal application as we grow in faith because of the reality of the truth that we have been forgiven much and what Christ has done to purchase that forgiveness is of infinite worth and majesty.