Dust: #Psalmtweet, #Psalter Thinking about enemies

Sunday, 5 November 2023

#Psalmtweet, #Psalter Thinking about enemies

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.

In our consideration of the Psalms, think about how the enemy is portrayed and where vengeance lies.

I am told to love my enemy. It is a consequence of learning to love my neighbor.

Love is an act of will toward the good of another. What is it that is good for my enemy?

It would be good for my enemy if they knew the damage that they do

to their people.
to their religious framework.
to themselves.
to me and my people and my country.

It would not be good for my enemy or the people

if I submitted to their evil.
if I justified their lies.

Therefore, I must find means of resistance to things that are not good for them, and means of communication for things that are good for them.

There is an apt section in Proverbs with a warning ...

בִּנְפֹ֣ל אֽ֭וֹיִבְךָ אַל־תִּשְׂמָ֑ח וּ֝בִכָּשְׁל֗וֹ אַל־יָגֵ֥ל לִבֶּֽךָ		17 When your enemy falls, do not be glad, and when he stumbles, let not your heart rejoice.
iz bnpol aoibç al-twmk ubicwlo al-igl libç	8 10	b/npl avib\c al t/wmk vb/cwl\v al i/gl lb\c
פֶּן־יִרְאֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה וְרַ֣ע בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְהֵשִׁ֖יב מֵעָלָ֣יו אַפּֽוֹ		18 Lest Yahweh see and it is evil in his eyes, then he turn from him his anger.
ik pn-irah ihvh vry byiniv vhwib myliv apo	10 8	pn i/rah ihvh v/ry b/yin\iv vh/wb m/yl\iv ap\v
אַל־תִּתְחַ֥ר בַּמְּרֵעִ֑ים אַל־תְּ֝קַנֵּ֗א בָּרְשָׁעִֽים		19 Do not burn about evildoers, do not be jealous about the wicked.
i't al-ttkr bmryim al-tqna brwyim	6 7	al tt/kr bm/ry\im al t/qna b/rwy\im
כִּ֤י ׀ לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֣ה אַחֲרִ֣ית לָרָ֑ע נֵ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָֽךְ		20 ♪C For there will not be a latter end for evil. The lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
c ci la-thih akrit lry nr rwyim idyç	9 6	ci la t/hih akr\it l/ry nr rwy\im i/dyc