19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. (Cont’d)
—Psalm 139:19-20
TODAY WE WANT to make David’s statements a little more understandable, so let’s look at them through the eyes of modern situations. Might we cry out, “Oh, Lord, that you would slay the Nazis who slaughter Your chosen people, the Jews;” or, “Oh, Lord, that you would slay the members of ISIS who are killing your chosen people, the Church, and others!” or “Oh, Lord, that you would slay the members of Boko Haram, who are kidnapping and using little girls as sex slaves!” or “Oh, Lord, that you would slay those who are advancing evil in this world in defiance of Your great Name.” Suddenly David’s words don’t seem so horrible when we hold them up against modern atrocities.
Listen, any assault on life is an affront to God, who is the Creator of life. We have both the right and the responsibility to be indignant when it comes to unchecked evils! Warren Wiersbe said, “We could use a little more holy anger today. Christians sometimes are too bland, too complacent, and too comfortable.” And the apostle Peter wrote: “This is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth;’ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Pet 2:18-24).
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