First Baptist Church
"Imprecatory" means to curse or to invoke evil upon someone or something. When we read through the Psalms we find these imprecatory statements where curses are invoked upon the Psalmist’s enemies or the wicked. There are enough of these verses in the Psalms to make it worthwhile for us to seek to understand why such language is found in the Scriptures.
There are three truths for us to consider this morning.
1. The Psalms are a collection of writings of human beings who in their anguish pour out their hearts to God.
Psalm 11:4 ESV
Psalm 94:1-3 ESV
2. The imprecatory statements in the Psalms rightfully remind us that our loving God in His holiness hates evil and the wicked.
Psalm 5:4-6 ESV
Nahum 1:2 ESV
2 Peter 3:9 NASB1995
Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV
3. We must interpret all Scripture in its context.
Psalm 137:8-9 ESV
Psalm 137:1-4 ESV
Romans 12:19 ESV
Matthew 5:44 ESV
Revelation 6:9-10 ESV