Vengeance and Retaliation - Psalms 33-35

Psalms 35:23-26 (ESV)

Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,

for my cause, my God and my Lord!

Vindicate me, O LORD, my God,

according to your righteousness,

and let them not rejoice over me!

Let them not say in their hearts,

“Aha, our heart’s desire!”

Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether

who rejoice at my calamity!

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor

who magnify themselves against me!

There may be one thing that brings all men down and that is when you are falsely accused of a wrong you did not do.  In the above song we see David write about this fact.  He wants God to rescue him.  But he does not seek vengeance or retaliation himself.  He leaves it up to God.  

In John MacArthur’s New Testament Commentary, he writes about vengeance: It is important to note that retaliation belongs to God alone. The Bible explicitly forbids Christians to take their own vengeance. 

Notice what Jesus said about vengeance and retaliation: 

Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Here is a week’s worth of prayers you can pray over your desire for vengeance:

(MONDAY) 

Proverbs 20:22 (ESV)

Do not say, “I will repay evil”;

wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

(TUESDAY) 

Romans 12:14 (ESV)

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

Romans 12:17 (ESV)

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.

(WEDNESDAY) 

Romans 12:18 (ESV)

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

(THURSDAY)

Romans 12:19 (ESV)

19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

(FRIDAY)

Romans 12:20 (ESV)

20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Romans 12:21 (ESV)

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

(SATURDAY) 

1 Thessalonians 5:15 (ESV)

15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

(SUNDAY) 

1 Peter 3:9 (ESV)

9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.