We should desire all people to ‘serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling’ lest the Son’s wrath be kindled against them (Psa. 2:11, 12). Therefore, it is right to apply such prayers to the enemies of the church today. Jesus promises that the gates of hell shall not prevail against her (Matt. 16:18). We may pray, therefore, for the downfall of any person, movement, or system, that seeks to overthrow his church. Why should we be any less passionate about the church’s victory than the faithful generations who have come before us?

Editor’s Note: This article is from the forthcoming book, God Is Our Refuge and Strength: 150 Devotionals Through the Psalms, by Bill Boekestein and Rob Ventura (The Banner of Truth, October 2026).

What do you do with prayers that ask God to let the children of the wicked become vagabonds (Psa. 109:10)? Or with verses that seem too harsh to read in a public gathering without explanation (e.g., Psa. 137:9)? To benefit from these psalms, we must understand their place in God’s unfolding plan of salvation.

Consider Psalm 58, which helps us to see the heart of judgment psalms: the reality of radical injustice and God’s response to it. Its author, David, was a righteous man who communed closely with God in Christ but was persecuted by the wicked. This man after God’s own heart shared God’s hatred of sin. Imprecatory psalms will make little sense to nominal Christians, but they resonate profoundly with those who, like David, grieve over injustice. Far from being embarrassing remnants of an outdated theology, these psalms help us live faithfully before God’s face in a world where evil still thrives. Here are some actions they can help believers practice.

Hate Injustice

Tim Keller’s comment on Psalm 58 is helpful: ‘Those leading comfortable lives may be troubled by verses 6-10 but the Psalms refuse to allow us to get used to the scandal of evil in high places.’[1] The Bible is clear: God loves justice and hates injustice (Isa. 61:8). The judgment psalms teach us to share his outlook on right and wrong.

Believe that God’s Justice Is Right and Balanced

Expressions in imprecatory psalms are strong: ‘O God, break the teeth’ in the mouths of the wicked (Psa. 58:6). But they aren’t too strong—they are appropriate. Psalm 7 captures a theme woven throughout these psalms: for a wicked and unrepentant person, ‘his mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends’ (verse 16). Divine justice is not arbitrary; it is measured. When God repays the unjust he simply gives them exactly what their actions confirm they deserve.

Don’t Take Vengeance. Pray for Justice

The judgment psalms give striking testimony to Paul’s instruction that believers should never avenge themselves but rather leave vengeance ‘to the wrath of God’ (Rom. 12:19). Considering the historical backdrop in Psalms 57 and 59, David likely wrote Psalm 58 while Saul was hunting him down to kill him. If this psalm is against Saul and others who sought David’s life, it’s remarkable that David, despite multiple opportunities, refused to take justice into his own hands (1 Sam. 24:1-7). The judgment psalms teach us to entrust justice to God rather than seeking revenge ourselves.

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[1] Timothy Keller, with Kathy Keller, The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms (New York: Viking, 2015), 124.