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Sermon #3272

Imprecatory Psalms

A Sermon on Imprecatory Psalms from Romans 11:7-10

Originally preached Nov. 6, 1964

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Scripture

Romans 11:7-10 ESV KJV
What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” And David says, “Let …

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Sermon Description

Why are there imprecatory Psalms in the Bible? This is the question that Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes up in this sermon on Romans 11:7–10 titled “Psalms.” He says that Scripture never teaches that God creates evil or sin but He does create the consequences of the sinful actions of humans. When Scripture speaks of God visiting judgement upon evil, one should not think that this is God doing something evil but He is punishing the wicked for their evil deeds. The same thing is true in the case of David when he prays for God to judge the wicked. This is not David being vindictive, but rather it is him asking that God act in accordance with His character to protect the righteous and punish the wicked. For God is holy and just; He cannot even look upon evil doers. This is seen in the highest form when Jesus died upon the cross at Calvary. There, God’s justice was fully manifested in His judgement upon sin in Christ but His mercy also was displayed in saving sinners. This is the great truth that God is both the just and the justifier. There is truly no unrighteousness with God.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. Israel has not obtained salvation, but the elect have. The rest were blinded.
  2. God gave them a spirit of slumber, eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear.
  3. David said: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever."
  4. There are four great lessons to learn:
    1. The importance of seeking the Lord and His salvation in the right way.
    2. The matter of judicial blindness. God does not make anyone a sinner but brings out the sinfulness innate in all mankind as a result of the fall.
    3. The question of the imprecatory Psalms. David is speaking judicially about the enemies of God and what they deserve.
    4. The question of punishment and the character of God.
  5. David was not prejudiced or vindictive. He showed patience and lack of vindictiveness toward Saul and Absalom.
  6. The Holy Spirit spoke through David. The scripture cannot be broken.
  7. Jesus accepted the whole Old Testament as divinely inspired.
  8. David was speaking judicially, not personally. He was concerned with what the enemies of God were doing to God, not to himself.
  9. David was speaking prophetically, looking forward to the rejection of Christ, especially by the Jews.
  10. The form of punishment should not trouble us. God gives revelation in thought forms to suit the age. The principles do not change.
  11. Eternal punishment is taught throughout the Bible. The particular form it takes is not the issue.
  12. Jesus himself taught eternal punishment. The epistles and Revelation also teach it.
  13. Calvary shows the wrath of God against sin. Jesus suffered more than the whole universe can ever suffer.

Sermon Q&A

Understanding Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Teaching on Imprecatory Psalms

What are imprecatory Psalms and why do they create difficulties for believers?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, imprecatory Psalms are those in which there is "a kind of imprecation or desire expressed to God that certain evil consequences should come upon certain sinners." Examples include Psalm 69 (verses 22-28), Psalm 58:6, Psalm 109:10, and Psalm 137:8-9. These Psalms create difficulties because they seem to express vindictiveness and a desire for vengeance, which many people find hard to reconcile with the loving character of God and the teachings of Jesus. Many believers are "unhappy about it and are in trouble with respect to it, and the devil uses it in order to shake their confidence and their assurance."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the meaning of Isaiah 45:7 where God says "I create evil"?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the word translated as "evil" in Isaiah 45:7 is never used in Scripture to convey the sense of sin or moral evil. He demonstrates this by showing how the same Hebrew word is translated differently in other passages: - In Psalm 141:5 as "calamity" - In 1 Samuel 10:19, Psalm 94:13, and Ecclesiastes 7:14 as "adversity" - In Nehemiah 2:10, Proverbs 15:10, Ecclesiastes 2:17 as "grief" - In Numbers 11:11 as "affliction" - In Ecclesiastes 8:6 as "misery" - In Psalm 41:1 as "trouble"

Lloyd-Jones concludes that God creates the consequences of sin, not sin itself, because "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" and "he neither can be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any men with evil."

What is the correct way to understand David's seemingly vindictive statements in Psalm 69?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers six key explanations:

  1. David's character was not vindictive: His historical actions toward Saul, Absalom, and others show "a complete absence of any spirit of vindictiveness."

  2. These Psalms were inspired by the Holy Spirit: As Peter states in Acts 1:16, "the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake."

  3. Jesus affirmed the authority of the Psalms: Christ said "the scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35) when referring to the Psalms.

  4. David was speaking judicially, not personally: "David here was not speaking from a personal angle... What he is looking at is what the enemies of God are doing to God."

  5. There is a prophetic element: David was looking forward prophetically to the rejection of Christ, not merely expressing personal feelings.

  6. The reality of divine punishment: The Bible consistently teaches God's judgment against sin from Genesis to Revelation.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones connect the imprecatory Psalms to the cross of Christ?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes that the ultimate proof of God's wrath against sin is found in the cross of Christ. He asks, "Why did the son of God have to endure and suffer?" and answers that it was because of "the wrath of God against sin that demanded that there was no other way of salvation." He states powerfully: "The ultimate proof of the wrath of God upon sin is the death of our Lord upon the cross on Calvary's hill. It is the greatest manifestation of the love of God. It is at the same time the greatest manifestation of the wrath of God."

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones caution against rejecting difficult passages of Scripture?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns that rejecting difficult passages leads to rejecting: 1. The authority of the Old Testament 2. The doctrine of biblical inspiration 3. The authority of Jesus Christ Himself 4. The character and nature of God

He cautions: "It's a very precarious thing always to talk about God. What do we know about God? He is in heaven and we are on earth. Let our words be few. Let us be careful." Ultimately, he urges humility when approaching Scripture's difficult passages rather than imposing our own ideas about what God should be like.

The Book of Romans

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.