基督徒可以用詩篇六十九篇的咒詛來禱告嗎？CanChristians Pray the Imprecations of Psalm 69?
作者: W. Robert Godfrey 翻譯: Maria Marta
詩篇六十九篇出現常见的哀嘆與讚美的元素，但却以特別尖銳和生動的方式呈現，这些方式包括劇烈的痛苦、熱切的讚美、嚴厲的譴責、對基督的詳細預期等等。 這首詩篇主要是一系列祈求，包括對產生這些禱告的處境的詳盡解釋（1-29節）。 詩篇以這個呼籲結束：讚美上帝是垂聽和回應禱告的那一位神（30-36節）。
第一個個禱告是個人拯救的呼求：「神啊，求你救我！」詩人用人溺水的詩意形象來表達自己的需求。波濤漫過他的身体，大水要淹沒他，他的生命似乎就要終結（1 –
2節）， 死亡的逼近讓他感到上帝不聽他的禱告。在呼求上帝期間，他疲憊不堪，他的淒痛也凸顯出來。諷刺的是，雖然他淹沒水中，但他卻很口渴（3節）。如另一位詩人所說：「水啊，到處是水卻不能喝上一滴。」 詩人借著許多仇敵無故恨他的言論，來闡明他所面臨的危險（第4節）。他說「無故」，並非指敵人沒有指控他，而只是說他們沒有有效的指控。然而詩人也承認，他痛苦乃因得罪了上帝（5節）。
第二個禱告是為上帝子民祈求的：求他的痛苦不會为上帝的子民帶来羞辱和混亂（6節）。詩人承認他受到鄙視和虐待，那些最親近他的人也疏遠他（7 –
12節）。但他知道他是為上帝的緣故，和事奉祂而受苦（7節）。他為上帝心中迫切如同火燒（9節），真誠悔改他的罪（10–11節），但他卻被許多人取笑，包括從坐在城門口的尊貴法官到社會最可鄙的人等：「坐在城門口的人對我議論紛紛，我成了酒徒之歌。」（12節） 這種侮辱是惡意的和不公平的。他希望那些愛上帝的人不要被這種侮辱所欺騙。
第三個禱告，我們在13–18節發現一系列熱切、反覆的，祈求上帝拯救的祷告。詩人比詩篇前半部分更簡潔地提出他求助的理由。鑒於周遭的危險，他再次提出需要幫助，他甚至訴諸上帝的性情，作為上帝幫助他的理由。上帝是有「豐盛慈愛」（第13節）和「豐盛憐憫」（16節）的神。 所以詩人憑祂的「信實拯救」祈求（13節），他相信這样祈求對他有幫助，因為祂的「慈愛美善」（16節）。這些詩句表達詩人在第3節暗示的那類充滿激情的禱告。然而，隨著詩篇的發展，他似乎越來越相信上帝會垂聽並回應他的禱告，因為祂是上帝。
盡管如此，在面對敵人的嘲笑時，他又回到現在的痛苦當中（19-21節）。 他說, 他孤苦伶仃，希望得到一些安慰或同情，但他什麽都沒得著。 鑒於他的仇敵所表現的切底恶恨，他提出咒詛的禱告（22-28節）。 這些咒詛是詩篇集裡最恐怖的詩句。 他祈求他的敵人陷入貧困， 受壓迫，失去家園和產業。 他甚至祈求他們被詛咒：「不容他們在你面前得稱為義。願他們的名字從生命冊上被塗抹，不要讓他們和義人一同被記錄。」（27b-28節）
但是這裏需要進一步評註這些嚴重的詛咒。
許多解經家只滿足於簡單的說法，即新約和舊約的觀點不一致，在新約，愛和寬恕已經取代覆仇的欲望。 但是，假若我們仔細思考，我們就會發現出於幾個原因，這是一種不適當的回應。 事實上，我們將重新發現，那些最初令人吃驚或冒犯的部分可能是我們特別需要的部分。
詩篇六十九篇不能與新約的信仰相沖突，因為新約經常引用它。它包含一些基督及其工作的明確預期。耶穌引用這首篇詩篇解釋祂完全委身於上帝的聖工，委身至死：「因我為你的殿心裡焦急，如同火燒」（詩六十九9; 約二17）。詩篇六十九3節預言祂在十字架上所受的部分苦難：「這事以後，耶穌知道各樣的事已經成了，為要使經上的話應驗，就說：『我渴了。』」（約十九28） 這首詩篇也預言耶穌將會受到嘲弄和輕蔑，特別「將給祂喝醋，以減輕祂的口渴」的預言。詩篇六十九20-21節談到祂的痛苦：「辱罵傷破了我的心，我又滿了憂愁。我指望有人體恤，卻沒有一個；我指望有人安慰，卻找不著一個。他們拿苦膽給我當食物，我渴了，他們拿醋給我喝。」在馬太福音，我們讀到這段經文的引用：「內中有一個人趕緊跑去，拿海絨蘸滿了醋，綁在葦子上，送給他喝。」（太廿七48） 基督在其苦難中應驗了舊約的預言，並潔凈古往今來的上帝子民的苦難。
保羅引用詩篇六十九篇教導我們，耶穌基督是如何生活，和我們應該如何生活。在引用此詩篇後，他立刻作出詳盡的聲明，宣告聖經裏所有事的價值：「『辱罵你的人的辱罵，都落在我的身上。』 從前經上所寫的，都是為教訓我們而寫的，好使我們藉著忍耐和聖經中的安慰得著盼望。」（羅十五2–4；《聖經新譯本》）
也許有人仍然認為，詩篇其余部分的使用，都是針對基督徒的，而詛咒對我們來說是陌生的。 但新約與這種建議相矛盾。引用詛咒本身，為的是解釋基督徒的經歷。
使徒行傳一章20節引用和應用詩篇六十九篇25節，解釋猶大的失喪：「願他的住處變為荒場，無人在內居住」。保羅在羅馬書十一章9-10節引用詩篇六十九篇22 -23節，解釋以色列民中非選民的失喪：「願他們的筵席變為網羅，變為機檻，變為絆腳石，做他們的報應。願他們的眼睛昏矇，不得看見，願你時常彎下他們的腰。」
在思考這些詛咒的時候，我們絕不比上帝聰明。祂在新約和舊約向我們顯示詛咒有它們的用處。我們務要時刻記住的是，詛咒應用於那些頑固，堅持不悔改，對抗上帝的人。尤其应用於那些知道上帝的盟約，並有意唾棄它的人。這裏的生命冊並非指上帝選民的人數，而是指那些屬於上帝聖約團體的一部分的人。詩篇六十九篇28節的「生命冊」源自出埃及記卅二33節：「耶和華對摩西說：『誰得罪了我，我就要從我的冊上把誰塗抹。』」 這本冊子記錄了被刪除的假先知的名字：「因此，主耶和華這樣說：『因為你們所說的是虛假，所見的是欺詐，因此我就攻擊你們。這是主耶和華的宣告。我的手必攻擊那些看見虛假異象、以占卜騙人的先知，他們必不得列在我子民的會中，不得被記錄在以色列家的名冊上，也不得進入以色列地。』」（西十三8-9a） 相比之下，生命冊或「紀念冊」𥚃的名字就是那些「敬畏耶和華思念他名的人」（瑪三16; 比較啟示錄廿12-15; 廿一27）。
詛咒上帝的仇敵並非我們一定要祈禱的唯一禱告，或者甚至是我們應該發出的第一個禱告。我們的主確實教導我們，必須首先為他們的悔改歸正禱告。保守一點講，詩篇六十九篇本身向我們指出這個方向。結尾一段提醒我們要讚美上帝垂聽我們的禱告和拯救我們：「尋求神的人，願你們的心甦醒……愛他名的人也要住在其中」（32b，36b）。舊約也論及悔改：「惡人若回頭離開所做的一切罪惡，謹守我一切的律例，行正直與合理的事，他必定存活，不致死亡。 他所犯的一切罪過都不被記念」（結十八21-22a）。我們應該為惡人的悔改禱告和工作。但對那些證實在罪中的人（參閱啟六4-6; 約壹五16），上帝已应许施行審判，為那些上帝应许要做的事祈禱當然是正確的。保羅在新約發出這樣的咒詛「若有人不愛主，這人可詛可咒。主必要來！」（林前十六22）。我們也務必要時刻牢記，貶損審判的必要和公義，就是貶損基督在十字架上成就的工作。
本文摘錄自W. Robert Godfrey所著的《Learning to Love the Psalms》一書。
Can
Christians Pray the Imprecations of Psalm 69?
FROM
W. Robert Godfrey
Psalm 69 presents familiar elements of lament
and praise, but in a particularly pointed and vivid way. The suffering is
poignant, the praise strong, the imprecations severe, and the anticipations of
Christ detailed. The psalm is primarily a series of supplications with
elaborations explaining the circumstances that have produced these prayers (vv.
1–29). The psalm concludes with a call to praise God as the One who hears and
answers prayer (vv. 30–36).
The first prayer is an individual cry for
rescue: “Save me, O God!” The psalmist presents his need in the poetic image of
a man who is drowning. The waters surround and threaten him so that his life
seems at its end (vv. 1–2). Added to the imminence of death is the sense that
God has not heard his prayers. He is worn out in calling on God. His misery is
highlighted by the irony that although he is drowning, he is thirsty (v. 3). As
another poet said, “Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.” The
psalmist clarifies the danger he faces by speaking of enemies of great number
who hate him for no reason (v. 4 NIV). By “no reason,” he does not mean that
the enemies have no allegations against him, but only that they have no valid
accusations. Yet the psalmist does acknowledge that he is suffering for his sin
against God (v. 5).
The second prayer is for the people of God,
that the psalmist’s suffering would not bring shame and confusion to God’s
people (v. 6). The psalmist recognizes that he is scorned and abused and that
he is alienated even from those closest to him (vv. 7–12). But he knows that he
suffers for God’s sake (v. 7) and in His service. He is zealous for God (v. 9)
and sincerely repentant for his sins (vv. 10–11), yet he is ridiculed by many,
from the exalted judges in the gate to the most contemptible members of
society: “I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make
songs about me” (v. 12). But this abuse is malicious and unfair. He hopes it
will not deceive those who love God.
Third, in verses 13–18, we find a series of
intense, repeated supplications for rescue. The psalmist, more briefly than in
the earlier part of the psalm, offers the reasons for his appeal for help. He
mentions again his need for help in light of the dangers that surround him, but
even more, he appeals to the character of God as a reason for God to help. God
is the God of “steadfast love” (v. 13) and of “abundant mercy” (v. 16). So the
psalmist prays for his “saving faithfulness” (v. 13), which he believes will
help him because “your steadfast love is good” (v. 16). These verses express
the kinds of passionate prayer that the psalmist alluded to in verse 3. As the
psalm has developed, however, he seems to be growing in confidence that the
Lord will hear and answer his prayers because of who God is.
Still, he returns to his present suffering in
the face of the scorn of his enemies (vv. 19–21). He says that he is alone and
friendless, and that where he expected some comfort or sympathy, he finds none.
In light of the complete antipathy on the part of his enemies, he offers
prayers of imprecation (vv. 22–28). These imprecations are the most terrifying
in the Psalter. He prays that his enemies may be impoverished and oppressed,
that they may lose home and heritage. But even more, he prays that they may be
damned: “May they have no acquittal from you. Let them be blotted out of the
book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous” (vv. 27b–28).
But
the severity of the imprecation here calls for some further comment. Many
commentators are content simply to say that the New Testament and the Old
Testament are at odds at this point, that in the New Testament love and
forgiveness have replaced a desire for vengeance. But if we think carefully, we
will see that this is a completely inadequate response for several reasons.
Indeed, we will see once again that those parts of the Bible that are initially
surprising or offensive may be parts that we particularly need.
Psalm 69 cannot conflict with New Testament
religion because it is often quoted in the New Testament. It contains some of
the clearest anticipations of Christ and His work. Jesus explained His utter
commitment to the cause of God, even to death, by quoting this psalm: “Zeal for
your house has consumed me” (Ps. 69:9; John 2:17). Part of His suffering on the
cross is prophesied in Psalm 69:3: “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now
finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), ‘I thirst’” (John 19:28). The psalm
also prophesies the mockery and scorn that Jesus will suffer and in particular
prophesies that He will be offered vinegar to assuage His thirst. The suffering
one of Psalm 69:20–21 says: “Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in
despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found
none. They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to
drink.” In Matthew’s gospel, we read an allusion to this passage: “And one of
them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a
reed and gave it to him to drink” (Matt. 27:48). Christ in His suffering
fulfills and sanctifies all the suffering of God’s people through the ages.
Paul quotes Psalm 69 to teach us how Christ
lived and how we should live. And immediately after quoting Psalm 69, he makes
a sweeping statement about the value of everything in Scripture for us: “Let
each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did
not please himself, but as it is written: ‘The reproaches of those who
reproached you fell on me’ [Ps. 69:9]. For whatever was written in former days
was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the
encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:2–4).
Someone may still suggest that whatever use
the rest of the psalm may be to the Christian, the imprecations are foreign to
us. But the New Testament contradicts this suggestion too. The imprecations
themselves are quoted to explain Christian experience.
Acts 1:20 quotes and applies Psalm 69:25 to
explain the loss of Judas: “May his camp become desolate, and let there be no
one to dwell in it.” Paul in Romans 11:9–10 quotes Psalm 69:22–23 to explain
the loss of the non-elect in Israel: “Let their table become a snare and a
trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened
so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”
In thinking about the imprecations, we must
not be wiser than God. He shows us in the New Testament as well as the Old that
imprecations have their use. What we do need always to remember is that
imprecations apply to those who intransigently and unrepentantly persevere in
evil against God. They apply especially to those who have known the covenant of
God and have knowingly spurned it. Here the book of life refers not to the
number of God’s elect but to those who have been part of God’s covenant
community. The “book of the living” of Psalm 69:28 derives from Exodus 32:33:
“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my
book.’” This book is the record from which the names of the false prophets are
removed: “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have uttered falsehood and seen
lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God. My
hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying
divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in
the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel’”
(Ezek. 13:8–9a). By contrast, the names in the book of life, or “the book of
remembrance,” are of those “who feared the Lord and esteemed his name” (Mal.
3:16; cf. Rev. 20:12–15; 21:27).
Imprecations
against the enemies of God are not the only prayers we are to pray, or even the
first prayers we should offer. Our Lord indeed teaches that we must first pray
for their conversion. Psalm 69 itself points us in that direction, at least
implicitly. In its closing section of praise to the God who hears and saves, we
are reminded, “You who seek God, let your hearts revive… . Those who love his
name shall dwell in it” (vv. 32b, 36b). The Old Testament too knows repentance:
“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and
keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he
shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be
remembered against him” (Ezek. 18:21–22a). We should pray and work for the
conversion of the wicked. But for those who are confirmed in sin (see Heb.
6:4–6; 1 John 5:16), God has promised judgment, and surely it is right to pray
for that which God has promised to do. Paul utters such an imprecation in the
New Testament: “If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed” (1
Cor. 16:22). We must also always remember that if we diminish the necessity and
righteousness of judgment, we will diminish the work of Christ on the cross.
This excerpt is adpated from Learning to Love
the Psalms by W. Robert Godfrey.
