Psalm 35:19
Do not let those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; do not let those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye. (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Psalm 35 and John 15:18-25
Psalm 35 is another one of those psalms that wouldn’t catch our eye as prophecy had it not been for Jesus quoting it. This would be considered a psalm of imprecation. An imprecation is a prayer for harm to come to someone – a calling down of curses.
These psalms are troubling to read for the modern-day Christian because we’ve been ingrained to turn the other cheek. We are to be a forgiving people. Imprecation psalms seek retribution against those who have harmed the psalmist which goes against what we’ve been taught from our pulpits. God’s people simply shouldn’t talk this way.
However, this is Scripture. And not only is it just Scripture, it’s a psalm of David. And not only is it a psalm of David, it contains prophecy pointing to Jesus. Jesus said, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44). It’s the thought of many theologians that while not every psalm explicitly mentions Jesus by name, the entire book of Psalms points to Jesus. I tend to fall in this camp as well. So how can it be that any psalm wishes such harm to people?
This psalm tells us that such an act of retaliation is warranted. The opening line states the case and sets the theme of the entire psalm, “Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me.” These are God’s enemies who have unjustly attacked the psalmist. The psalmist is making the case that these people need to be punished. Not simply because they are against the psalmist. But because they are unjustly against the psalmist. Verses seven and eight state the argument clearly:
“Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,
may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.”
I think it’s important to note that the psalmist isn’t looking for revenge. He isn’t considering taking matters into his own hands as was often done in ancient times. He is asking God to take care of them for him. His ask is that God restore justice and punish his enemies for their unjust actions. And we know that a time is coming when God will punish those who are against him.
In fact, it’s Jesus who will administer this punishment. Verse five says, “May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away.” The angel of the Lord appeared multiple times in the Old Testament. He appeared to Abraham, Hagar and Jacob at significant times in their lives. There are lots of smart people who make the argument that this angel of God was the preincarnate Christ. This angel was treated as if he were God and even spoke the words of God.
Along those lines, I find an interesting verse recorded in the gospels of both Matthew and Luke. John the Baptist is preaching in the wilderness before Jesus is introduced and says about Jesus, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matt 3:11-12).
That sounds a lot like this psalm! The chaff John speaks about are the enemies of God that will be burned up as Jesus administers his justice. Meanwhile, the wheat are God’s people who will be gathered into his barn for his protection to enjoy the promises of eternity with Jesus.
Lastly take a look at verse 19, “Do not let those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; do not let those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye.” Here the psalmist continues to make his case that God should deal with these people who are Christ’s enemies for no reason.
Jesus explains in John chapter 19 that the world hates him and it will hate his followers too simply because we follow him. And they wouldn’t be guilty of sin had Jesus not come to earth to speak to them about it. But he did and now they have no excuse. Jesus said, “If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ (John 19:24-25).
When we are treated unfairly because we follow Christ, we have only one response and that is to praise God just as the psalmist does. No matter what his enemies do to him, “My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long” (Psalm 35:28).
Christ in the Old Testament 
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