O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers! They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name. O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you? Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you? Yes, I hate them with total hatred, for your enemies are my enemies.
Psalm 139:19-22

Dear God, most of this psalm is about being known by you. It’s really quite beautiful—and unnerving. To be known that well is scary. For my sinfulness to be known. My secret thoughts. My jealousies and pettiness. I could go on and on, but I want to get to the part of the psalm I’ve copied here. Suffice it to say, I’m really sorry, I will do better, and I submit to you. Thank you fir loving me anyway.

Now, for this passage, it’s an example of why I have trouble with some of the theology in the psalms. I wish we knew when David wrote this and what was going on. For me, his live is divided into two parts: pre-Bathsheba and post-Bathsheba. Just before Bathsheba was his apex. After Bathsheba seemed to cost him all of the moral high ground with those around him. He lost control and it chased him the rest of his life.

So we have this passage where he is calling for revenge. He is asking you to take the mercy for which he begged you for himself (see Psalm 51) and throw it away when it comes to his enemies. At the end of his life, he even asks Solomon to destroy a man who once harassed David while he ran from Absalom. I’m sorry, but I just don’t think this is right.

Father, I spent some time reading about the unrest in Haiti this morning and I couldn’t even wrap my head around the idea of how awful it must be right now for every single person in that society, regardless of their wealth or political standing. Thank you fir the mercy that I have never had to face that. But right now, I do pray for your peace over their land. I pray that there will be repentance. I pray that everyone, from the corrupt political officials, to the militant gangs, to the wealthy who take advantage of the poor, to the wealthy who try to do good, to the poor and working class people, will repent, turn away from voodoo and mysticism, or from their own selfish desires, and turn to you. I pray that you will not destroy, but enable everyone to embrace Jesus and mercy. I know this sounds too simplistic, but I have zero idea of how to pray for them intelligently. All I know to do is ask that you intervene and help them, and right now, David’s approach sounds like the world’s answer, but not yours under the new covenant we have through Jesus. I especially pray for those there who call on your name. Help the fathers and husbands provide protection and resources for their families, help the women know also how to provide and protect their families, help the children to be at peace and find another path forward than the lathe their society has followed for generations, and help all of them to bring your love and presence into their country.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen