Day 129

Psalms 27-32. “Imprecatory Psalms”

Psalm 28 is what Bible scholars call an imprecatory psalm.  This is because the psalmist asks God to judge the wicked and the enemies of the righteous.  Some have been troubled by the presence of such psalms.  They wonder how a God of love and grace could receive such a request.  Will God really act in response to this request?
Today I am challenging you to think differently about this psalm and others like it.  If these psalms are prophetically the words or prayers of the Messiah, then it changes their message, the reason being that Jesus came for the purpose of taking the punishment for the sins of mankind.  Thus Jesus, in praying these imprecatory psalms, actually prayed for God’s judgment and wrath to come and then willingly became the object of that judgment and wrath on our behalf.
Because of Jesus, these imprecatory psalms are no longer messages of condemnation and judgment, but rather of grace and love, for “He personally carried away our sins in His own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.  You have been healed by his wounds” (1 Peter 2:24)  

General Questions for each day:
Summarize the day’s Bible passage in your own words.
What thoughts, actions, attitudes or beliefs are addressed in the passage?
How is the Holy Spirit leading you to apply this passage to your life today?