Some of the angriest expressions in the psalms come out of the trauma inflicted on the Jewish people when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in 586BC. The Babylonians spared no amount of cruelty in their treatment of the Jews. In addition to this, the Edomites, a traditional enemy of Israel were happy to join in and gloat over her suffering. Psalm 137 expresses both grief and anger at this treatment and it appeals to the covenant promise that God made to Abram: “Whoever curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). The ultimate curse for ancient people was the obliteration of their family line. This is what is envisaged in the extreme final verse of this psalm. On reading this verse, you may ask, “Why say it like this?” The reason is that this is exactly what had happened to the Jewish children. This is the psalmist’s blunt way of appealing for “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” (Leviticus 24:20). Yes, it’s harsh, but these were harsh times and it’s all too easy for us to sit back and suggest that they could have ‘calmed down a bit’. God wasn’t happy about what happened to his people, and he was evidently fine with them anticipating judgement in this way. Bad things happen in the world, and they will happen to us. It’s okay to cry out for justice and anticipate judgement. But we must also understand that, for God, giving grace is a far better result than meting out justice. Justice is good, but grace is better. You’d certainly say so when it comes to what you get in the end.
Where would you most like to see justice? Think about what grace would look like there instead.
Read Psalm 137.
