Rev. David Holwick F
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
February 18, 1990
Psalm 109
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I. Some people will go to any lengths to get even:
Two years ago Pacific Southwest Airlines, Flight 1771, dived four
miles and crashed, killing all 43 aboard.
Sifting through the wreckage, the investigators found a note:
"Hi Ray. I think it's sort of ironical that we end up like this.
I asked for some leniency for my family, remember.
Well, I got none and you'll get none."
The "black box" on the plane recorded the cabin attendant telling the
pilots, "We've got a problem here."
A male voice interjected, "I'm the problem."
It was David Burke.
It turned out that the plane crashed because Burke, who had recently
been fired by the airline, had pulled out a .44 magnum and shot
both pilots.
He had allegedly stolen $69 from the airplane's cocktail receipts.
He was known for being bright and affable but subject to dark and
violent moods.
A month before he was fired from his ticket agent job, he tried to
choke his girlfriend Jacqueline.
He returned later to damage her car and cut up some of her clothes.
The most chilling of his closing acts was more methodical than
impulsive: the FBI found a new will in his town house, dated a
few days before the crash.
#52
II. Difficult Bible passage and theme. David Burke mentality??
A. Jesus says, "Bless and do not curse." Luke 6:28
B. King David says, "Curse him, and his wife and kids."
1) Is Bible inspired here?
2) Is the OT fully Christian in its ethics?
C. Must be looked at carefully.
III. Justice is important.
A. Justice is important to GOD.
1) God hates sin and injustice.
2) NT: parable of persistent widow. Luke 18
a) God will see she is vindicated, acc. to Jesus.
B. Justice should be important to US.
1) David is angry for a reason.
a) His love (friendship) is repaid with attacks. 109:3-5
2) The feeling that something is not fair is perhaps the
most morally offensive feeling there is.
According to Dr. Willar Gaylin, the clinical professor
of psychiatry at Columbia University,
we all carry around an inner sense of justice.
#567
IV. The emotions of justice.
A. Justice is often abstract until we are hurt.
1) Becky Ferguson Newsweek editorial after 10 breakins. #1126
2) Letter to editor, later.
B. The curses in Psalm are a cry from the heart.
1) They seek to inflame us, not inform us.
2) God did not always accept these cries, even in the OT.
C. We need a sense of anger at injustice.
1) South Africa, etc.
2) Giotti trial.
3) But we must not let our anger backfire.
D. Acting them out yourself can lead to ruin.
Vogue magazine article:
Divorcee agreed to sell her husband's Mercedes-Benz and split the
proceeds as part of their divorce settlement
At the auction she signed over the car to the first bidder for $25.
She then sent a check for $12.50 to the enraged husband.
She got back at her husband, but think of how much money she lost.
#567
1) Cursing psalms kindle our hearts.
a) They don't tell us what to physically do.
V. The curses are not as bad as they sound.
A. The language is exaggerated.
1) Jeremiah put a curse on his own birth! Jer 20:14
a) OT is noted for the vividness of its language.
b) Sarah Holwick - "I hate you." (not really meant)
2) Conditions are to be understood.
a) Repentance is possible.
B. Not a literal curse.
1) Literal curses went directly to enemy.
a) David is going to God, period.
b) (Some translations shift curses to David's enemies.)
1> Not a likely solution.
2> Other passages, even in NT, have curses.
2) History shows David was very forgiving when attacked.
a) King Saul; Shimei.
b) But he also did not underrate God's hatred of evil.
C. "Vengeance" = positive justice in Hebrew thinking.
VI. Even NT says vengeance has a place, but God deals it. Rom 12
A. Jesus curses fig tree and drives sellers out of temple area.
1) Vivid portrayal of coming judgment.
2) Professing Christians cursed in Revelation, chap 2-3.
B. Application of Psalm 109:8 to Judas Iscariot.
1) The disciples applied verse 8 to Judas. Acts 1:16
a) Jesus loved Judas, even though he knew what was happening.
1> No personal vindictiveness.
b) Nevertheless, Judas was judged by God.
2) This is only concrete application of the psalm in the NT.
VII. Change in perspective between Old and New Testaments?
A. The OT believers focused on this life.
1) David wanted to see God give him justice with own eyes.
a) The judgment he envisioned would be physical.
2) The Hebrews hated sin more than the sinners.
a) Ps 139:19-22 "I hate your enemies with a perfect
hatred."
B. The NT reveals the importance of eternity.
1) Jesus taught us God's heart.
a) Repay enemies good for evil.
1> (But David claims to have done this, too.) 109:5
b) Yet Jesus reveals a new depth of judgment.
1> There is no excuse for sin.
2) Complete justice waits for the Kingdom to come.
a) Evildoers will get theirs in the end.
b) NT judgment is harsher than OT, because it is eternal.
VIII. Application to today.
A. This psalm does not give an excuse to get even.
1) Leave vengeance to God.
B. Recognize that the desire for retribution has its place.
1) Those who are aware of the hurts in the world will feel this.
C. Realize how God sees YOUR sin.
1) Repentance is an urgent need.
2) Do you have a burden for the spiritual condition of others?
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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