In several psalms, the biblical authors ask God to curse people (Pss 35, 60, 70, 109, 137, 140). Christians feel embarrassed by these imprecatory psalms. Yet, rightly understood, these psalms testify to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here’s how:

We're all cursed.

All persons stand rightly condemned (cursed) before a holy God (Rom 3:23). No one can accuse God of injustice or partiality in the Day of Judgment (Ps 7:11; Rom 3:19).

God is Judge.

In both the Old and New Testaments, the authors of Scripture point to God’s ultimate intervention against evildoers as a source of comfort (Ps 73:17-20; Rom 12:19; 2 Thess 1:6-8). In calling out to God for justice, the worshiper releases his emotions and relies upon the only Judge who knows all hearts, words, and actions (Ps 44:21; Acts 1:24).

The Psalmist represents his people.

In the imprecatory psalms, the psalmist often speaks as representative of Israel, God’s people. The individual psalmist’s call for vindication is actually an appeal for God to show himself faithful to his people. The technical interpretive term for this alteration between individual and nation is “corporate solidarity.” Assumptions of corporate solidarity also underlie the central doctrine of the Christian faith—that Christ died for us—taking the punishment we deserve on the cross. “One has died for all, therefore all have died” (2 Cor 5:14)

The Psalmist isn't sinless.

The psalmist’s protestations of innocence are situational (Ps 73:13). That is, the psalmist is not claiming to be completely sinless, but in the matter disputed, he is claiming that he is “in the right.” Similarly, if you were wrongly charged in a modern court with robbery, you might passionately appeal, “Listen, I’ve done nothing wrong!”

Jesus took our curse.

The imprecatory psalms remind us that we have wronged other people. Others could rightly pray these cursing psalms against us! Yet, Jesus bore the divine curse we rightly deserve (Gal 3:13). The gospel empowers us to reconcile with those we have wronged and to find freedom from guilt and condemnation in Christ (Rom 8:1). Rob Plummer is an elder at Sojourn Community Church, an Acts 29 church in Louisville, KY. He is also Associate Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Southern Seminary. This blog post is adapted from his new book, 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible.