For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. you break the teeth of the wicked. Psa 3:7Psa 3:7

O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions. out the fangs of the young lions. Psa 58:6 Psa 58:6

Let them be like the snail that dissolves into Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime; like the untimely birth that never sees slime; like the untimely birth that never sees the sun. the sun. Psa 58:8Psa 58:8

Psalms 55, 59, 69, 79, 109, 137.Psalms 55, 59, 69, 79, 109, 137.

The righteous will rejoice when they see The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance done; they will bathe their feet vengeance done; they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked. in the blood of the wicked. Psa 58:10Psa 58:10

May his children be orphans, and his wife a May his children be orphans, and his wife a widow. May his children wander about and widow. May his children wander about and beg … May there be no one to do him a beg … May there be no one to do him a kindness, nor anyone to pity his orphaned kindness, nor anyone to pity his orphaned children. children. Psa 109:9-12 Psa 109:9-12 (cf. v. 8!)(cf. v. 8!)

Happy shall they be who take your little Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock! ones and dash them against the rock! (Psa 137:9). (Psa 137:9).

How does this nasty stuff align with Jesus’ How does this nasty stuff align with Jesus’ command to love our enemies (Matt 5:44) and command to love our enemies (Matt 5:44) and "turn the other cheek" (Luke 6:29), or Paul’s "turn the other cheek" (Luke 6:29), or Paul’s injunction to “bless and do not curse” (Rom injunction to “bless and do not curse” (Rom 12:14)?12:14)?

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go inentering to go in. Matt 23:13Matt 23:13

And he answered and said, He that dips his And he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, the same shall hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man will go as it is betray me. The Son of man will go as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been been good for that man if he had not been born.born. Matt 26:23-24Matt 26:23-24

But though we, or an angel from heaven, But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.be accursed. Gal 1:8-9Gal 1:8-9

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.him be Anathema Maranatha. 1 Cor 16:221 Cor 16:22

Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works. the Lord reward him according to his works. 2 Tim 4:142 Tim 4:14

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?dwell on the earth? Rev 6:10Rev 6:10

#1, The Church has never avoided them. #1, The Church has never avoided them. Peter Peter quotes from Psalms 69 and 109 (two notorious quotes from Psalms 69 and 109 (two notorious imprecations) in Acts 1:16, 20.imprecations) in Acts 1:16, 20.

#2, God is vengeful. #2, God is vengeful. “Vengeance is mine, I will “Vengeance is mine, I will repay“ Deut 32:35 (cf. Rom. 12:19).repay“ Deut 32:35 (cf. Rom. 12:19).

#3, The prayers of Israel were honest. #3, The prayers of Israel were honest. Most of Most of us in more honest moments would confess to us in more honest moments would confess to similar feelings at times of oppression.similar feelings at times of oppression.

#4, Prayerful expressions are more appropriate #4, Prayerful expressions are more appropriate than violent actions. than violent actions. Psalm 3 shows that Psalm 3 shows that David’s vituperative rhetoric was a far cry from David’s vituperative rhetoric was a far cry from his actions against Absolom. It may even be his actions against Absolom. It may even be that the expression in prayer suppressed that the expression in prayer suppressed violence.violence.

#5, Ancient Jewish theology lacked a robust #5, Ancient Jewish theology lacked a robust judgment in the afterlife. judgment in the afterlife. Hence, if God is going Hence, if God is going to be just it has to be here and now.to be just it has to be here and now.

#6, The real offense was against God, not #6, The real offense was against God, not Israel. Israel. Jealous defense of God’s honor is good.Jealous defense of God’s honor is good.

#7, Without the atonement of Jesus, there was #7, Without the atonement of Jesus, there was no model for non-violent retribution. no model for non-violent retribution. In other In other words, “What can you expect?!”words, “What can you expect?!”

#8, Under such a system, total genocide was #8, Under such a system, total genocide was sage military advice--sage military advice--given the Middle-Eastern given the Middle-Eastern penchant for revenge killings. penchant for revenge killings.

#1, Do you want to live in a world without #1, Do you want to live in a world without ultimate justice?ultimate justice?

#2, Could you relish a God that did not punish #2, Could you relish a God that did not punish evil and injustice?evil and injustice?

#3, Does God love sinners?#3, Does God love sinners?

#4, Is freewill worth the consequences?#4, Is freewill worth the consequences?