Me First

Remember, Lord, what the Edomites said that day at Jerusalem: “Destroy it! Destroy it down to its foundations!” —Psalm 137:7

Prior to the above verse, God’s people had pined for their home in Zion. They had pledged and promised to remember Jerusalem. Now they prayed to be avenged of their enemies.

Verse 7 is what is called an imprecation. That’s not a word we use often today—and it’s not a word we want to use often. It’s a calling down of a curse upon those who are the enemies of God and of His people.

However, before the psalmist called for judgment against the enemies of God, he first called down an imprecation upon himself (vv. 5–6). That’s an important fact to notice, because we dare not pray for God’s judgment of His enemies if we haven’t put our own heart before the Lord. We must repent of our sins and ask the Lord to revive our hearts.

It’s not my brother; it’s not my sister; it’s not the Babylonians; it’s not the pagans in this culture. It’s me, oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer..