By the Rivers of BabylonSample

Prayers of the Persecuted

Imprecatory prayers are passionate pleas for justice calling God to act upon one’s enemies. Here we have one such prayer where the covenant community in exile plead with God to remember what the Edomites did when Jerusalem fell. Edom was a small kingdom neighboring Israel to the South East. Edom was related to the nation of Israel having been descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob. When Babylon invaded Israel, the people of Edom acted treacherously (Jeremiah 12:6) and joined hands with the foreign invaders delivering the people of Israel to the sword at the time of their calamity (Ezekiel 35:5). The sons of Edom conspired against God’s people and committed violence against their siblings (Obadiah 1:10-14). When Jerusalem was captured, the temple and the city along with its walls was razed to the ground to the euphoric shouts of the people of Edom. It was a despicable act. 

In plotting to rid the world of God’s elect people, Edom was striking at the very heart of God. Israel was God’s chosen treasure with whom He had made a special covenant (Psalm 83:3-5). Though the people of Israel were sinners who had broken covenant with Him, God remains faithful. Thus, by conspiring against the people of God, Edom was rising against God Himself. Edom was not merely interested in razing Jerusalem to its foundations but also destroying the very reign of God as Israel’s sovereign husband and lover.  

God listens with special care to the prayers of His children under persecution. When Saul persecuted the infant church at Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus did not ask, “Saul, why do you persecute my church?” but rather “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). God considers the persecution of His people as a personal affront to Himself just as a jealous husband considers it a personal offense when His wife is abused by someone. God does not turn away His eyes from the suffering of His people. Wherever the church of God is persecuted, there is God, remembering the acts of evil committed against His covenant people. This is why we are called to never to avenge evil ourselves but leave it to the wrath of God (Romans 12:19). We do this by praying for God’s justice to be manifested against His people’s enemies so that the peace of God may reign in the land.