Crying for Justice: What the Psalms Teach Us About Mercy and Vengeance in an Age of Terrorism

by John N. Day

Given the blatant violence and terrorism of the 21stcentury world, should Christians be seeking divine vengeance like that demonstrated in the retribution psalms of David? This book examines the theology of the curses in the Psalms as well as the ancient cultural context and then shows how mercy and vengeance should play out in the current world.

Genres: Theology

200 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2005

Reviews

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 4 out of 5]

The road to understanding the imprecatory Psalms has a ditch on either side. On one side, we fall into avoiding them as a little too uncomfortable or even rejecting them as unrighteous. On the other side, we fall into using them as expressions of personal vengeance. Either error is rooted in the same sin—pride. It's arrogant and self-righteous either to try to out-nice the Word of God or to try to call down God's curses to serve our petty vindictiveness. John Day walks the straight and narrow between these two errors, arguing clearly and persuasively that “It is legitimate at times for God’s present people to utter prayers of imprecation or pleas for divine vengeance—like those in the psalms—against the recalcitrant enemies of God and his people. Such expression is consistent with the ethics of the Old Testament and finds corresponding echo in the New” (p.109).

I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn to read, pray, and sing the Psalms more faithfully and effectively. God has enemies. If He is our God, then they are our enemies, too. God's people have enemies. They are our God's enemies, too. We should know how to talk to Him about them. We should know how to speak up for our brothers and sisters who are suffering under the oppression of the likes of Boko Haram and ISIS and Kim Jong Un. We should know how to go about both loving our enemies and crying for justice. This book is a very helpful tool for acquiring that knowledge.

Now for my only criticism (and speaking of petty, it might be): I can think of no good reason for the endnotes of a book to be as long as the main text, forcing the reader to flip back and forth between text and notes often several times per page. Here's a thought for any author, editor, or publisher who does so: Your job is to serve your readers. You have failed. In this case, there was a lot of significant content buried in the notes. Notes are for references and occasional rabbit trails. By contrast, I would estimate that more than three-quarters of the notes in this book were substantive content that should have been incorporated in the main text. This poor arrangement made this a much slower and more difficult read than it needed to be. I was tempted to knock off two stars for this, but I tempered my judgment with mercy. ;^)

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Typography notes: Generally unobjectionable. I wasn't a big fan of the header font, and didn't care for seeing some of the headers centered, but the body font was legible even at a smallish size with tight leading. Another eighth or quarter inch in the inner margins would have been nice, and the space consumed by the extra-wide top margin would have better employed in a more generous bottom margin.

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good.

[Shane Goodyear · Rating 4 out of 5]

* Excellent book on the imprecatory psalms
* Some thoughts: we can use these psalms as NT Christian’s
* Promise of dive vengeance expressed in the song of Moses
* Principle of eye for an eye on a judicial level not personal level lex talionis
* Appeal always explicitly or implicitly directed towards God. No trim for personal vengeance
* Imprecatory instances in the NT. Jesus cursesinv of the fig tree and the apostle people whisking those who preach another gospel to be cursed
* General ethic of loving neighbour only in the extreme cases of consistent evil is curses to be prayed
* Good discussion on ancient curses and how they where built into suzerainty treaties

[Justin Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written study of imprecatory Psalms. Day isn't afraid to approach these Psalms swinging. Unlike many who introduce a principle or two, then use that principle to interpret the imprecatory in isolation of the rest of scripture, Crying methodically takes various approaches to chisel away at misunderstandings to leave readers with what the Psalmist intended.
One area Day has another layer to peel away to find a better conclusion is motives behind imprecatory prayers. Also, his presentation of the Kingdom is confusing. Some sentences I underlined with adulation, while other sentences about the Kingdom stirred thoughts of imprecation. I’ll mark up this confusion to the fact that Day is a Dallas grad who pastors a Presbyterian church.

[Sean McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book on the imprecatory Psalms, or the Psalms of cursing. Day does a great job demonstrating how in extreme circumstances, Christians can still pray these Psalms today. He also does a great job reconciling Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount with these Psalms. Excellent and well written.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book on how Christians can and should pray for justice using the imprecatory psalms as a model. The book addresses three imprecatory psalms that our modern western sensibilities struggle to understand.

[Taylor Rollo · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my review of this book see my blog: http://a-short-saying.blogspot.com/20.... This is an excellent defense of the Biblical warrant and necessity of imprecatory psalms.

[John Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would appreciate it if John Day would send me two replacement highlighters as I went through two of them highlighting this book. This is excellent! The best treatment on the imprecatory Psalms I've ever read.

[Don Harton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really challenges my observations of God’s plan and purpose. The author helps us think about David’s angry Psalms - why are they included in scripture and what can we do with them. This well written response to 9-11 still seems timely.

[Sean-david · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent, challenging, convicting, and Christ-centered look at the Imprecatory Psalms and how Christians can approach them today. A must read.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommended...a great discussion of how Christians should view/use the imprecatory Psalms.