Imprecatory Psalms

As I'm sure, many of you have listened to the Fox clip of the S. Baptist pastor affirming that he is indeed praying "imprecatory" prayers that President Obama would die. Yes, you heard me right. You can check out Sermonaudio for Pastor Hammack's commentary on the matter http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=614091824224

First of all, what in the world is an imprecatory psalm? I believe the word is Latin in origin and it basically means to "to pray for or invoke (evil, a curse, etc.) to imprecate disaster upon one's foe; to invoke evil upon; curse"

So...when a S. Baptist pastor is inflaming the atheists and the non-believers, what are we to think. I am just beginning to study the issue in more detail but here are some clear and unarguable thoughts first...more to follow later:

#1- I would ask that Pastor...why not pray that the Lord saves President Obama? Are we not to pray for our enemies as Jesus taught? So many times I've heard people jump to curse...but rarely do they pray first for the person's salvation.

• Matthew 5:44-48- "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

Doesn't the Scriptures tell us to pray for our enemies? Isn't that what the verse says above? It is easy to hate and condemn...much harder to pray with God-given love for those we do not naturally love.

#2- Is there a difference between "OUR" enemies and GOD'S enemies? Could it be that as Dr Cairns said, that we are to love OUR enemies but hate God's? Now I can hear someone say, "President Obama is God's enemy...therefore we want him dead!" Really? Could it be that God plans to save President Obama? What if someone prayed imprecatorily that Saul of Tarsus died? Was he not a great enemy of the church? Was he not having the imprisoned and possibly executed? YES! But God had plans for him.

#3- Aren't the imprecatory Psalms given by inspiration of God by men who were considered to be prophetically used by God- like David? Is this S. Baptist pastor so close with God that he can boldly claim he knows who God's enemies are? Is this man being moved by God and are his words inspired? Hardly...I believe he is on shaky ground.

Romans 13:1- "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God."

Bottom line- pray for those that God has set above us in Gvt...whether you like them or not. If you have not prayed for President Obama the you have absolutely no grounds to pray for his cursing.