22 JUN 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional
“Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Let them die in disgrace. Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.” Psalm 83: 16-18
The writer of the Psalms often uses imprecatory prayers in his conversation with God. He identifies an enemy not just of his own, but God’s enemy. These anti-God neighbors are truly breathing threats to end the life of the writer and the people of God. This is a plea for defense and an ultimate end to those that come against God specifically and by extension the chosen people.
From the spiritual side, God’s sovereign election places people into two camps, the saved and the condemned. John 3:18 says that those that do not believe are condemned already and are just awaiting sentencing. This is no different than when the Jews were the only chosen of God. If believers were to do nothing, their enemies and God’s enemies would remain on the road to hell.
Interestingly, the psalmist hopes that the enemy would be humbled or disgraced until they submit to the name of the Lord. Let them be ashamed and terrified of the reality of who God really is. When a person is born again, they see God for who he is and the fear of the Lord takes effect. The words of the beatitudes hit that person. (Matt 5) They become poor in spirit and realize they have been enemies with God and now they really need God.
They mourn over their own sin as shame, guilt, and disgrace set in. They are humbled before the Lord and are moved to submit their lives to God. Their distaste for the things of God changes into a hunger and thirst for him. They have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. (Ps. 34) This is a beautiful thing to experience for yourself, but also for those that rebel against God.
If you want them to suffer the wrath of God, don’t share the gospel with them. But we cannot do that! We are commanded to love our enemy and to tell them the good news. The results are up to God. Now you can pray this psalm “for” your enemy with a bit of a different goal.
Are you praying for your enemies and the ungodly in your world?
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