In this message from Pastor Eric’s “What the Faith?!” sermon series, he explores Psalm 137 and others that call upon God for violent vengeance. If we believe scripture is somehow instructive and revelatory for us as people trying to follow Jesus, what do we do with such passages? How are we to read them? How are we to understand them when we lift them up alongside Jesus’ call to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” and the many passages that tell us, in short, not to be angry?
To help us understand the harsh words in Psalm 137 and others like it, Pastor Eric reminds us that these are words upon the mouths of people who have themselves experienced the ravages of war, who have watched helplessly as they were invaded and decimated by the military of a global superpower of the day. In that context—and the parallels in our own world—we are invited to read this psalm and others like it while asking: How does one heal from trauma? How does a community, a nation heal from collective trauma? What role does expressing anger and even rage at such violations play in the healing process? And when/how does our anger get in the way of that healing? These are the kinds of questions that shape Pastor Eric’s exploration in this message as we consider how we heal today from our many wounds—individually and collectively.
