I must admit that the subject of “imprecatory prayer” is new to me. While I have prayed for many things, praying for a curse to fall on some one is not among them —although, I must confess I've been tempted a few times. Ultimately, however, I am not convinced that imprecatory prayer under any circumstance is the proper way for a Christian to pray.
Recently you published a “Second Opinion” article that attempts to make a defense for such prayers by citing the prayers of David in the Psalms along with references to John, Paul, Peter and James [Herald, Oct. 18]. But conspicuously absent from this article is the teaching of one very important person. Jesus, the Bible's all time great teacher of prayer, is nowhere mentioned.
Drawing heavily on the belief that all Scripture is equally inspired, the article argues that the imprecatory prayers of the Psalms are both descriptive and prescriptive. While I have no problem accepting all Scripture as equally inspired, I do have problems with making all Scripture equally applicable. If the passage describing David's encounter with Bathsheba is equally inspired (2 Samuel 11:4), does that mean the example of his behavior is prescribed as well?
Apparently I am not alone with this view. Several times in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus trumps other biblical prescriptions by invoking the formula: “You have heard that it was said … but I say to you …” A good example of this is Jesus' teaching concerning prayer: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you ….” (Matthew 5:43-44, NRSV). The clear implication is that the teachings of Jesus are superior to the teachings of all other Scripture. Further, his instruction on prayer in this passage is anything but imprecatory.
Perhaps sensing the weakness of his own argument, the author ends by saying, “… our imprecatory prayers may not be as specific or as severe as David's or Paul's, but imprecatory prayers are as biblically valid today as in yesteryear.” If such prayers are now just as valid as they ever were, then how biblical would it be to backpedal on their severity?
The answer is quite simple. As beautiful, powerful and sometimes pointed as the Psalms are, Jesus calls us to a higher and nobler standard of prayer. Knowing that at best we are all sinners, his model prayer teaches us to pray, “Father … forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Dean Majette, Chantilly