Curses

Once, many years ago, a person in our church pointed out that the Bible contains imprecatory Psalms.  He was right, as far as it goes.  These are Psalms that are poems of curse or judgment of one's enemies.  

For example, I read these verses in Rachel Held Evans book Inspired this morning from 109:9-12:

May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
May his children be wandering beggars;
may they be driven from their ruined homes.
may a creditor seize all he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
May no one extend kindness to him
or take pity on his fatherless children.

The person who was pointing out the existence of these Psalms in the Bible, I think, was using their existence to defend his own cursing / judgment of others.  If they are in the Bible, then....

Three thoughts:

1. The Bible helps us to learn about God, but it also helps us to understand ourselves better.  The existence of this type of poem in Psalms helps us to understand the human condition.  We feel this type of anger, and so did the writer of the Psalm who may have been in exile in Babylonia.  Life in faith isn't always (maybe isn't ever) pain free.  There is anger and pain.
2. The existence of these Psalms in the Bible doesn't give us permission to curse others.  They aren't a justification of hate.  It's always important (in fact, absolutely necessary) to look at the Bible in the light of the revelation of God through Christ.  
3. That said, God provides us with the space to express the hurt and anger - a safe place in conversation with God.  It's a place that doesn't condone or encourage throwing venom towards other people, but it is a place of grace, that expects us to share our hurts and pain and then offers the grace of wholeness and healing.