“O God, why have you rejected us so long? Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture? Remember that we are the people you chose long ago, the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession! And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth. Walk through the awful ruins of the city; see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary. There your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries; there they set up their battle standards. They swung their axes like woodcutters in a forest. With axes and picks, they smashed the carved paneling. They burned your sanctuary to the ground. They defiled the place that bears your name. Then they thought, “Let’s destroy everything!” So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped. We no longer see your miraculous signs. All the prophets are gone, and no one can tell us when it will end. How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you? Will you let them dishonor your name forever? Why do you hold back your strong right hand? Unleash your powerful fist and destroy them. You, O God, are my king from ages past, bringing salvation to the earth. You split the sea by your strength and smashed the heads of the sea monsters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan and let the desert animals eat him. You caused the springs and streams to gush forth, and you dried up rivers that never run dry. Both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight and the sun. You set the boundaries of the earth, and you made both summer and winter. See how these enemies insult you, Lord. A foolish nation has dishonored your name. Don’t let these wild beasts destroy your turtledoves. Don’t forget your suffering people forever. Remember your covenant promises, for the land is full of darkness and violence! Don’t let the downtrodden be humiliated again. Instead, let the poor and needy praise your name. Arise, O God, and defend your cause. Remember how these fools insult you all day long. Don’t overlook what your enemies have said or their growing uproar.”
Psalms 74:1-23 NLT
There is a theme in scripture that the righteous cry out for the Lord’s vengeance to be unleashed upon the wicked. Many have viewed this mentality as easily problematic since they classify it as unloving. But in truth, it is the only loving approach to take. Firstly it is living if God, whose righteousness has been impugned against. However, it is also loving of those who have been collateral damage of the rebellious. These people are often hurt in ways that can’t be measured, though they have been affected deeply. Lastly, as the wicked continue to sin, they continue to heap judgment upon themselves. They destroy themselves and eventually live in complete and utter misery. In all of these cases, it is better for God’s justice to come sooner than later. It is good for God’s people to look toward the day of wrath as a day of true justice for all the injustices committed daily. This is not unloving. In the same vain, as we pray for such a day to come and quickly so, we ought to pray for mercy for these people. We ought to pray that the same grace that saved us will open their eyes to see what lays ahead for them and to quickly repent. We always ought to call for mercy in the same breath that we call for justice.
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